CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Redundant Churches

Caroline Spelman: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) of 22 July 2008,  Official Report, column 983W, on redundant churches, what assessment the Church Commissioners have made of the reasons for churches being closed for regular public worship.

Stuart Bell: Decisions to propose closure for regular public worship are taken within each diocese and the Commissioners have made no specific assessment of the reasons behind such decisions. Where objections are received, the Commissioners consider whether there is a pastoral need for the church. On average, between 25 and 30 churches are closed each year; this is in the context of over 16,000 churches in use, including a number of new places of worship opening each year.

Religious Buildings: Water Charges

Ben Chapman: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners whether the Church Commissioners plan to take steps to implement the resolution of the General Synod on church water rates; and if he will make a statement.

Stuart Bell: The General Synod motion urged the Government to press Ofwat to ensure that water companies did not treat places of worship as if they were businesses and, as my hon. Friend will note from my remarks on the Floor of the House on 5 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 971-72, I fully support the position taken by General Synod.
	I might add by way of a statement that the Archbishops Council will take the lead in the Church's ongoing discussions with Government on this matter and it will do so not only with General Synod's support but also the support of the Church Commissioners, the wider Church, other charitable bodies, a good many Members of Parliament and, it seems, an increasing proportion of the general public.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Palace of Westminster: Pedestrian Access

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission with reference to the answer of 6 November 2006,  Official Report, column 671W, on pedestrian access, what progress has been made in ensuring that pedestrian access to the Palace of Westminster is not impeded by inadequate rainwater drainage on St. Margaret's Street; when the House of Commons Commission last discussed this issue with Westminster City Council; what response was received; on how many occasions since December 2008 pedestrian access to the Palace of Westminster has been impeded by rainwater; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: A record is not kept of the number of times pedestrian access to the Palace of Westminster has been impeded by rainwater. The drainage gully on St. Margaret Street adjacent to St. Stephen's Entrance is blocked regularly with rubbish and detritus and Westminster city council arrange for it to be cleared when flooding is causing a nuisance. Further representations will be made to the council to increase the frequency of cleaning in this location and to explore whether the gully can be covered to reduce the likelihood of future blockage. There have been no discussions on this subject between the House of Commons Commission and Westminster city council.

Parliament: Repairs and Maintenance

David Amess: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how many repairs have been required to the fabric and installations of each building on the Parliamentary Estate in each year since 1990; and what the estimated total cost was for each building.

Nick Harvey: A list of the repairs to the fabric and installations of each building on the parliamentary estate has been placed in the Library. Information on the number of repairs is available back to 2000, and on the cost of repairs back to 2005-06.

Working Conditions: Temperature

Jo Swinson: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the  (a) highest and  (b) lowest temperature measured in the Churchill Room and nearby areas during working hours were between November 2008 and January 2009; what steps are taken in exceptionally cold weather to provide additional heating in the House, with particular reference to the Churchill Room; and what recent representations have been made by (i) House staff and (ii) customers about the temperature in the Churchill Room.

Nick Harvey: The highest temperature recorded in the Churchill Room—on numerous occasions—between November 2008 and January 2009 was 21 degrees centigrade. The lowest temperature during the same period was 17 degrees centigrade on 12 January 2009. The prevailing weather conditions are monitored by House engineers and the heating system adjusted accordingly to maintain temperatures at acceptable levels. Since November 2008, two requests have been recorded on the estates helpdesk about cool temperatures in the Churchill Room, on 20 November 2008 and 4 February 2009. Work has taken place during the February constituency week to replace the heating and ventilation controls for the Churchill Room and further work will take place in the Easter recess.

Working Conditions: Temperature

Jo Swinson: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what temperature range is deemed acceptable by the House authorities for staff to work in.

Nick Harvey: The statutory minimum temperature for office environments is 16°C. There is no statutory upper limit. In line with Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) guidance the House aims to maintain temperatures of 21°C in office areas.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Subsidies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government have taken to assist agricultural producers affected by the outbreaks of foot and mouth disease.

Jane Kennedy: The Animal Health Act 1981 and Human Rights legislation require that compensation is paid for animals compulsorily killed to prevent the spread of disease. For foot and mouth disease (FMD), compensation is paid for all animals compulsorily slaughtered at the full market value before the animal became infected. Compensation is also paid for other items, such as farm equipment and feed etc. which are seized as they are considered to be contaminated. This includes such things as milk. The amount of compensation payable for animals for FMD is determined by an approved valuer at the time of slaughter.

Animal Welfare

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) incidents of animal cruelty have been reported and  (b) people have been charged with offences of animal cruelty in (i) England, (ii) the North East, (iii) the Tees Valley and (iv) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Jane Kennedy: The number of people proceeded against at magistrates courts for animal cruelty in  (a) England,  (b) the north-east, and  (c) Cleveland police force area for the years 1998 to 2007 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	Charging data are not held by Ministry of Justice, therefore data on cases proceeded against have been provided in lieu.
	Crimes relating to cruelty to animals are summary offences and thus reported cases of animal cruelty are not included in the police recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office.
	Court data are not collected centrally at constituency level; thus Cleveland police force area data have been provided in lieu of  (c) Tees Valley, and  (d) Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency.
	These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Court proceedings data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for animal cruelty in Cleveland police force area, north-east region, and England for the years 1998 to 2007( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 
			  Proceeded against 
			  Force/Area  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Cleveland 22 26 20 43 26 33 24 33 41 51 
			 North-east 96 93 76 105 89 102 100 106 97 140 
			 England 1,168 1,081 1,110 1,026 1,022 1,005 1,013 1,104 1,048 1,079 
			 (1) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.  (2 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  (3) Staffordshire police force were able to submit sample data only for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.  (4) The north-east region comprises the following police force areas: Northumbria Durham Cleveland.  (5) Crimes relating to cruelty to animals are summary offences and are therefore not included within the police recorded crime series. Police recorded crime covers crimes which are recorded by the police and which are notified to the Home Office. All indictable or triable-either-way offences are included together with certain closely associated summary offences.

Birds

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column 320W, on birds, about what elements of the report there were uncertainties; what the reasons are for the time taken to resolve such uncertainties; and whether the contract made provision for financial penalties for late or sub-standard delivery.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Queries about the nature, reliability and robustness of the information reported, have delayed publication of this report. These queries included the extent to which conclusions in the report were supported by reliable evidence, and whether individuals named in the report had agreed to the inclusion of their names.
	The report was reviewed with the authors five times as a consequence of officials raising questions about its content. While the authors of the report acted as promptly as possible, delays did occur due to the difficulties of verification of data with third parties overseas, or as key personnel were not available temporarily.
	While the contract did allow for penalties none were imposed because at the time, March/April 2008, the report was believed to be reasonably correct. Most of the concerns about the style and content of the report only came to light subsequently, and the contractor then undertook the necessary additional work.

Charities: Waste Disposal

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which charities have been prosecuted under the waste management duty of care provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and how much revenue has been collected from fines resulting from such prosecutions.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA does not hold the information requested. Recorded details on prosecutions do not identify the type of business or organisation.

Departmental Buildings

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether a Display Energy Certificate has been produced for each of his Department's buildings.

Huw Irranca-Davies: I can confirm that Display Energy Certificates (DECs) have been produced for the 39 DEFRA properties meeting the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007.

Departmental Pay

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent by his Department on staff reward and recognition schemes in each of the last three years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA and its Executive agencies operate a number of different non-financial reward and recognition schemes for staff (excludes bonus schemes) at grade 6 equivalent and below.
	These provide DEFRA and its agencies with the flexibility to recognise and reward their employees, with small/symbolic awards.
	Details of the costs associated with each scheme are outlined as follows:
	 DEFRA Team Awards (including Executive agencies)
	The DEFRA Team Awards identify and celebrate success across DEFRA and its agencies.
	Each year an annual awards dinner and ceremony is held, to which short-listed teams from across DEFRA are invited.
	The winning teams in each category receive a certificate of congratulations and are awarded a trophy, made from recycled materials, that has no commercial value.
	The cost of staging the event in each of the last three years are given in the following table.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2006 20,557.92 
			 2007 20,533 
			 2008 23,328.20 
		
	
	 'Achieving the Best'—Animal Health (AH), DEFRA Executive agency
	'Achieving the Best' is the agency's scheme for recognising and rewarding good performance and long service at local and agency-wide level.
	The scheme was introduced on 1 April 2007.
	There are two recognition and reward schemes that operate under the 'Achieving the Best' scheme:
	the Animal Health Instant Award; and
	the Animal Health Long Service Award.
	 Animal Health Instant Award
	This takes the form of a voucher up to a value of £50 per employee. The minimum voucher award is £10 and the maximum is £50.
	The total cost of providing the Instant Awards for 2007-08 was £89,518.
	 Animal Health Long Service Awards
	Two awards (a 25-Year and a 40-Year Long Service award) are presented locally to individuals who have completed the requisite service in the civil service (including any previous service in MAFF, DEFRA, the State Veterinary Service, Animal Health or any other Government Department).
	Recipients receive a certificate and are granted two days special paid leave (for the 25-Year award) or five days special paid leave (for the 40-Year award), which are awarded at the agency's bi-annual awards ceremony that celebrates success.
	For 2007-08, 16 25-Year awards were made to Animal Health staff, at a cost of £5,758.02; three 40-Year awards were made at a cost of £3,299.57.
	The costs shown are inclusive of a proportion of the costs for staging the Long Service Awards part of the event.
	 Voucher Scheme—Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), DEFRA Executive agency
	The agency operates a voucher scheme, which is designed to recognise one-off achievements throughout the course of the year. These are awarded in £50 lots.
	The cost of operating the scheme in each of the last three years are given in the following table.
	
		
			   £ 000 
			 2006 15 
			 2007 15 
			 2008 15 
		
	
	 Non-Pay Reward Scheme—Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), DEFRA Executive agency
	The scheme is designed to act as a motivational award to an individual or team, which underpins VLA's organisational values, aims and objectives. It encourages and rewards good performance, promotes team building or recognises outstanding contribution.
	Responsibility for deciding on the award is delegated to Heads of Departments/Units, who are each allocated a share of the non-pay reward budget, relative to the size of the team.
	The cost of operating the scheme in each of the last three years are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2006-07 9,996 
			 2007-08 12,236 
			 2008-09 (to date) 6,004

Departmental Training

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 10 November 2008,  Official Report, column 770W, on departmental training, what personal training courses at public expense other Ministers in his Department have undertaken since 1 January 2008.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA Ministers attended three courses in the period concerned, each of them lasting no longer than one day. The courses were intended to enable Ministers to carry out their duties effectively in line with the ministerial code.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what powers waste collection authorities have to enter premises in relation to suspected breaches of waste regulations; and what powers they have to  (a) measure and  (b) photograph household waste;
	(2)  whether joint waste authorities will be eligible to undertaken directed surveillance under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000;
	(3)  what powers of entry the joint waste authorities will have.

Jane Kennedy: Section 92A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) gives local authorities powers to serve a litter clearing notice on any open land, requiring the occupier, or failing that, the owner, to clear litter from that land. If the notice is not complied with, they can enter the land, clean up and then reclaim their costs.
	Section 59 of the EPA allows waste regulation authorities and waste collection authorities to serve a notice on the occupier or owner of land to require the removal of controlled waste unlawfully and knowingly deposited. Where a person fails to meet these requirements, the local authority or the Environment Agency may clear the waste and seek to recover the costs.
	Waste collection authorities have no powers to enter domestic premises to gather evidence of breaches of regulations on how waste is presented for collection.
	It is intended that joint waste authorities should have the same powers as are currently available to local authorities when they are carrying out those functions which joint waste authorities may take over.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what guidance  (a) his Department and  (b) the Waste and Resources Action Programme has provided to local authorities on the use of large communal bins for household waste;
	(2)  what guidance  (a) his Department and  (b) the Waste and Resources Action Programme has provided to local authorities on the number of household waste bins to be provided to households.

Jane Kennedy: There has not been a call for guidance on the use of large communal bins for household waste or on the number of household waste bins to be provided to households, either to DEFRA or WRAP.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have undertaken into means of waste (i) collection and (ii) disposal of mercury-containing compact fluorescent lights for domestic use.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA and its agencies have undertaken no such research.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to encourage local authorities to undertake separate food waste collections;
	(2)  how many local authorities offer a separate food waste collection service.

Jane Kennedy: Separate collection of food waste has so far been introduced by 36 local authorities in England, including 17 authorities who are working with the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) on trials of the collection of segregated household food waste. These are separate food only schemes and do not include mixed food and garden waste collections.
	Separate collection of food waste can help achieve environmental gains more cost-effectively, including through the use of anaerobic digestion to provide energy. Further means of extending separate food waste collections and increasing the proportion of food waste collected which is routed to anaerobic digestion are also under consideration.

EC Law

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what provisions of EU directives within his Department's area of responsibility have not yet been transposed into law; in respect of the provisions of which such directives the UK has been subject to infringement action by the European Commission since January 2005; and what stage has been reached in such action in each case.

Huw Irranca-Davies: There are 34 Directives within the Department's responsibilities, in relation to which the due date for transposition has not yet been reached, or which have not yet been transposed completely into UK law.
	It is the Government's policy to neither confirm nor deny the existence of infringement proceedings or to disclose details of any infringement action by the European Commission except where an overriding public interest in disclosure of such information can be demonstrated on a case-by-case basis.

Electronic Tagging: Sheep

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the effect on the sheep industry's revenue of the introduction of the electronic identification of sheep.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for East Devon (Mr. Swire) on 11 February 2009,  Official Report, column 2031W.

Flood Control

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made in the development of catchment flood management plans.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The 68 Catchment Flood Management Plans in England have been completed and signed off by Environment Agency Regional Directors. The Environment Agency is re-consulting on elements of six of the plans that impact on the East Riding of Yorkshire council.

Flood Control

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many properties in England and Wales are classified as at risk of flooding.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Environment Agency undertakes regular assessments of the number of properties at risk of flooding from rivers and from the sea through its National Flood Risk Assessments. In the most recent assessment (in 2006) DEFRA and the Environment Agency estimated that 2.3 million properties were at risk of flooding in England and Wales.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Rural Payments Agency on the processing of applications by growers to be recognised as producer organisations for the purposes of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme.

Jane Kennedy: No ministerial discussions have taken place with RPA on the processing of applications by growers to be recognised as producer organisations for the purposes of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme. My predecessor was fully briefed concerning developments following recent European Court of Auditors and European Agricultural Guarantee Fund audits of the scheme and remedial actions required to address audit concerns.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many organisations in England were recognised as producer organisations for the purposes of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme in 2004; how many have been de-recognised since 2004; and how many are currently recognised.

Jane Kennedy: There are currently 54 recognised producer organisations.
	In 2004 there were 73 recognised producer organisations in the scheme. 32 of them have been de-recognised since 2004. In addition some have left the scheme voluntarily and/or merged with other producer organisations.

Joint Waste Authorities

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the latest timetable is for the establishment of joint waste authorities.

Jane Kennedy: Proposals for Joint Waste Authorities may be submitted until 31 July 2009. It is estimated that it will take 12 months to assess a proposal and to lay the relevant legislation. The first Joint Waste Authorities may therefore be established from 31 July 2010.

Livestock: Exports

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) calves and  (b) horses were exported from the UK for further fattening and slaughter to each destination country in the latest period for which information is available; and what the average journey times were to each such country.

Jane Kennedy: The Cattle Tracing System (for Great Britain) and APHIS (for Northern Ireland) show the following numbers of calves (animals under 42 days old) as being exported from the United Kingdom during 2008. Due to the way the data are held, it is not possible to specify whether the animals were intended for breeding, production or slaughter.
	
		
			  Export destination  1 January 2008 to  31 December 2008( 1)  Range of travelling times (hours)  Average times (hours) 
			 Belgium 17,548 10.5-17.5 14.38 
			 France 13,469 8.5-18.5 13.24 
			 Republic of Ireland 1,181 19 19.05 
			 Netherlands 21,914 11.5-28 17.40 
			 Spain 1,436 22.5-32.5 29.37 
			 Total 55,548   
			 (1) Animals under 42 days old. 
		
	
	The range of travelling times and averages are taken from new route journey log applications received in 2008 that have been calculated and approved excluding rest times (mid journey rests and rests at control posts). These are only plans and not the actual times recorded from journeys that have taken place.
	No horse or pony export welfare licences were applied for or issued for slaughter or fattening during 2008.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to reply to the letter of 12 December 2008 from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire on the Amazon rainforest.

Huw Irranca-Davies: holding answer 12 February 2009
	I signed a reply to the hon. Member for West Worcestershire (Sir Michael Spicer) on 10 February.

Public Footpaths

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if he will bring forward funding to enable British Waterways to undertake  (a) necessary maintenance of its grade D and grade E assets and  (b) projects to improve the standard of towpaths to create a national towpath network;
	(2)  if he will estimate how many  (a) employment and  (b) training opportunities a programme of maintenance and towpath network improvement undertaken by British Waterways would provide.

Huw Irranca-Davies: £5 million has been brought forward from 2010-11 and will contribute towards British Waterways' maintenance of its grade D and E assets.
	An estimation on the number of employment and training opportunities the creation of a national tow path would bring, depends on the scale of the programme. DEFRA is considering a range of possible proposals to support the economy and environment.

Recycling

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate  (a) his Department,  (b) the Environment Agency and  (c) the Waste and Resources Action Programme have made of the cost to local authorities of storing paper collected from households for recycling in 2008-09.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA, the Environment Agency and the Waste and Resources Action Programme have not made an estimate of the cost to local authorities of storing paper collected from households for recycling. However, the Environment Agency has reported that it has not seen significant increases in requests for additional storage capacity for recyclable materials.

Recycling

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate has been made of the percentage of municipal waste consisting of recyclable material landfilled by local authorities in England in the last 12 months which could have been recycled.

Jane Kennedy: No such estimate has been made by DEFRA.

Recycling: Calderdale

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of  (a) household recycling rates and  (b) levels of collection services for materials for recycling in Calderdale; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 12 February 2009
	In 2007-08 Calderdale council's household recycling and composting rate was 24.92 per cent. 96.53 per cent. of households in Calderdale had a kerbside collection of at least one recyclable material.
	These data are available at local authority level for the last three years at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/wastats/index.htm.

Rural Areas: Community Development

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make representations to his EU counterparts on a replacement for the LEADER Programme.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The LEADER approach is now being implemented through mainstream rural development programming rather than as a separate programme in its own right. Under the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), 61 Local Action Groups have been selected so far to deliver the LEADER approach. This element of the RDPE has only been operational since January 2008 and we will want to review progress over the remainder of the programming period with a view to preparing for EU negotiations on the next programming period. The current programme runs until 2013, and therefore we do not envisage discussions at EU level on the future rural development programme for some time.

Sewers: Fats

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the percentage of sewer blockages caused by cooking oils, fats and greases in each water company area in each of the last five years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: My Department does not collect information on the causes of sewer blockages.
	However, Water UK, the representative body for the water industry, estimates that there are on average around 200,000 sewer blockages in England and Wales each year, of which fats, oils and greases are responsible for up to 75 per cent.

Waste Disposal

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much  (a) household and  (b) non-household waste was collected by each local authority in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is on the DEFRA website and can be found at the following address:
	www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/wastats/bulletin08.htm
	 Source
	WasteDataFlow

Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether  (a) Travellers and  (b) people in domestic dwellings not rated by the Valuation Office Agency due to their transitory nature will be liable to pay charges for the collection of household waste under the forthcoming pilot schemes.

Jane Kennedy: Paragraph 15 of schedule 2AA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 defines the term "domestic premises" for the purposes of a waste reduction scheme.

Waste Disposal: Private Finance Initiative

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many waste infrastructure plant projects under the private finance initiative scheme have  (a) applied for and  (b) been granted planning permission in each of the last three years.

Jane Kennedy: According to available data, since January 2006 there have been 14 planning applications from 13 authorities that have been allocated private finance initiatives. Of these, 11 have been granted planning permission.

Water Supply: Leaks

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the volume of water lost through leaks from water pipes of each individual water company in each of the last five years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Water companies report annual leakage figures to Ofwat in June as part of their annual regulatory returns. Ofwat publishes leakage performance annually in the service and delivery report. Leakage performance for each water company for the years 2003-04 to 2007-08 were as follows:
	
		
			  Performance (megalitres/day) 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Anglian 216 214 215 200 210 
			 Bournemouth and West Hants 22 22 22 22 22 
			 Bristol 53 53 53 54 53 
			 Cambridge 14 14 13.9 13.4 13.9 
			 Dee Valley 10 11 11.3 10.6 10.3 
			 Dwr Cymru 231 226 225 210 205 
			 Essex and Suffolk 70 67 67 68 68 
			 Folkestone and Dover 8 8 8 7.8 7.9 
			 Mid Kent 30 29 28 27 27 
			 Northumbrian 160 155 155 145 135 
			 Portsmouth 30 30 30 29 30 
			 Severn Trent 512 502 540 525 490 
			 South East 69 69 69 69 69 
			 South Staffordshire 71 74 73 73 72 
			 South West 84 83 84 83 84 
			 Southern 92 92 93 82 83 
			 Sutton and East Surrey 24 24 24 24 24 
			 Tendring Hundred 5 5 5.1 5.1 5.0 
			 Thames 946 915 860 790 715 
			 Three Valleys 152 149 150 145 140 
			 United Utilities 479 500 475 470 460 
			 Wessex 75 73 73 72 72 
			 Yorkshire 295 293 295 295 295 
			 Industry total 3,649 3,608 3,575 3,420 3,290 
			  Note: Figures have been rounded and thus may appear not to add up to the total given)

DEFENCE

Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers seriously injured in Iraq and Afghanistan were treated at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre Headley Court before the introduction of compensation payments.

Kevan Jones: The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme was introduced on 6 April 2005. Between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2005, 3,507 reviews of inpatients were conducted at Headley Court. Headley Court treats personnel injured as a result of a variety of incidents, including from operational deployment to road traffic or sporting accidents. Headley Court does not record centrally the number of injured personnel they treat from each location.

War Memorials

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on consulting regimental associations on the protection of war memorials.

Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence officially commemorates the final resting place of all those who die in service. The UK Government contribute close to £40 million each year towards the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to mark and maintain the graves, and the official memorials for those who have no known grave, of the Commonwealth Service personnel who died during the two World Wars.
	However, the Department does not have the responsibility for war memorials. This responsibility rests with the owner of the memorial, which is normally a local authority, a private individual or organisation.

Iran: Missile Development

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implications for UK defence policy of recent Iranian missile development.

John Hutton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Upminster (Angela Watkinson).

Military Doctors: Reserve Forces

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of military doctors serving abroad are members of the Territorial Army and other reserve forces.

Kevan Jones: From a total of 11 medical officers currently serving at the field hospital in Iraq on OP TELIC, five are members of the reserve forces. At the field hospital in Afghanistan on OP HERRICK, three, from a current total of 15 medical officers, are reservists.

Aircraft Carriers: Air Defence Capability

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next expects to meet his NATO counterparts to discuss the air defence capability of aircraft carriers.

John Hutton: There are no specific plans for discussions with NATO counterparts, in the near future, on the air defence capability provided by aircraft carriers.

Afghanistan

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his latest assessment is of the armed forces' performance against their military objectives in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: UK and other ISAF troops are making tangible progress in Afghanistan. In Helmand, all the major towns are now under the Government of Afghanistan's control and the insurgents can no longer rest easy in their traditional heartlands. But Afghanistan's problems cannot be solved by military means alone and nor will they be solved quickly. Significant security challenges remain and we are working with the Afghan Government also to improve governance, economic development and the rule of law.

Afghanistan

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent assessment of the strength and capabilities of the  (a) Afghan national army and  (b) Afghan national police is.

John Hutton: Good progress has been made with the Afghan national army (ANA). The ANA is 78,000 strong and in 2008 they led in 60 per cent. of the operations in which they participated.
	There are now some 82,000 Afghan police (ANP). Through the US and EU-led programmes ANP capacity has improved.
	We will continue to work closely with the government of Afghanistan and the international community to build the capacity of the Afghan national army and police.

Chiefs of Staff

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures there are for co-operation between the chiefs of staff of each of the services.

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures there are for co-operation between the chiefs of staff of each of the services.

John Hutton: The chiefs of staff meet informally and formally to discuss matters of mutual interest on a regular and ongoing basis.

Warship Construction Programme

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress has been made on the warship construction programme; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Good progress continues to be made across the future warship build programme.
	Centred on the Type 45 Destroyers, the Astute class submarines, the Future Aircraft Carriers and the Future Surface Combatant, it is providing industry with a strong order book which will continue well into the next decade and beyond.

Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on preparations for the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

John Hutton: I have regular discussions with the Foreign Secretary on a range of issues, including non-proliferation. Our respective Departments continue to work closely together, and with international partners, to ensure that the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference will be a success.

Trident

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent consideration he has given to the future of the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: We laid out the Government's decisions on the nuclear deterrent in the December 2006 White Paper, 'The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent', which the House voted to support, by a large majority, in March 2007. We expect to reach the Initial Gate approval point for the programme to replace the Vanguard-class submarines in autumn 2009. This will signify the end of the concept phase. We are also participating in a programme to extend the life of the Trident II D5 missile until around 2042.

ATLAS Consortium

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the ATLAS consortium's performance against objectives in implementing the Defence Information Infrastructure; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: The performance of the ATLAS consortium is continually assessed by the DII Programme's governing bodies. The most recent assessment is that performance remains satisfactory against the objectives of the programme.
	Specifically, just beyond the 31 January 2009 milestone set for the end of the first increment, 62,800 terminals will have been delivered. This increases confidence in achieving the next milestone of 100,000 terminals to be delivered by the end of December 2009. In addition over half of the MOD population currently have DII Future (DII(F)) accounts and a capability to process secret data is now in place allowing the programme to roll DII(F) into the five major headquarters of the MOD, Royal Navy, RAF, Army and Permanent Joint Headquarters.
	ATLAS is also on track to deliver a deployed and top secret capability within planned timescales and financial estimates for the on-contract programme remain within 3 per cent. of the original estimates.

Iraq

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his most recent assessment is of the security situation in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: The overall security situation in Iraq continues to improve, with violence remaining down at levels last seen in 2003. This was demonstrated by the recent provincial elections, which passed with just one reported security incident in Basra, where Iraqi security forces are maintaining the significant security gains achieved over the course of 2008.

Afghanistan: Serious Injuries

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British soldiers have been seriously injured in Afghanistan  (a) since 2001 and  (b) since January 2006.

Kevan Jones: Since the start of coalition operations in Afghanistan in October 2001, 175 British service personnel have been very seriously or seriously injured. 165 of these individuals incurred their injuries since January 2006.

Afghanistan: Civilian Casualties

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps UK forces are taking to minimise the number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan.

John Hutton: We deeply regret any incidents where civilians are killed as a result of actions by international forces. Procedures are in place, and being constantly updated in the light of experience, both to minimise the risk of these casualties occurring and to investigate any incidents that do happen. In addition troops undergo comprehensive individual and collective training before they go on operations. Significant resources and effort are put into understanding properly the operational environment, including details of the civilian population who wherever possible are warned of impending operations.
	We should, however, remember that insurgents are the real threat to the safety and security of the Afghan people through their indiscriminate use of violence.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1016W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, when he expects the review to be completed.

Bob Ainsworth: The review of UK detention records has been a major undertaking; we hope to publish the findings in the near future.

Ammunition

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether British armed forces have used white phosphorus munitions in  (a) Iraq since 2003 and  (b) Afghanistan since 2001;
	(2)  when white phosphorus munitions were last used in action by British armed forces; and in what circumstances they were used.

John Hutton: In Afghanistan, white phosphorus munitions are routinely used to protect troops on operations by producing a smoke screen to provide cover. Records show white phosphorus munitions were last used for the same purpose in Iraq in 2005.
	In accordance with the UN third convention on conventional weapons, UK training in the use of white phosphorus emphasises that it should be used solely for its intended purpose and not as an anti-personnel weapon.

Ammunition: Exports

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the UK has made any exports of white phosphorus munitions in the last 10 years.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply
	:
	BERR's Export Control Organisation only has information on licences issued, not actual exports. 67 licences have been issued since March 1999 for munitions that, like white phosphorous munitions, are designed to create illumination or act as an incendiary. Because the export licence application form does not require the exporter to provide the chemical composition of munitions to be exported, it is not possible to say how many—if any—of those 67 related to the export of white phosphorous

Armed Forces: Blood

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will request NHS Blood and Transplant to supply pathogen inactivated blood products for military personnel use.

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ask the NHS Blood and Transplant Service to supply pathogen-inactivated blood products for use by military personnel.

Kevan Jones: Pathogen inactivation (PI) is a process designed to eliminate pathogens—i.e. viruses, bacteria and fungi—from water, air or donated blood. The majority of the blood held in-theatre by the Defence Medical Services is supplied by the UK National Blood Services (NBS), which does not routinely carry out PI on its blood products. However, the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO—a Department of Health NDPB) will be reviewing options to reduce the risk of bacterial infection in platelets, including pathogen inactivation, in early 2009, which will inform decisions on its use in the UK. It would be premature of MOD to pre-empt the results of this review.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of personnel in each pinch point trade in the  (a) Royal Navy and  (b) Royal Air Force exceeded harmony guidelines for tour intervals in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bob Ainsworth: As I stated in my answer on 26 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1521W, it is not possible to identify the tour intervals for individual service personnel who are considered to be in pinch point trades. The Joint Personnel Administration system is designed to identify where individual harmony guidelines, as a whole, are being broken rather than the intervals between tours.

Armed Forces: Drugs

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the incidence of substance misuse amongst members of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: MOD monitors regularly the incidence of substance misuse in the armed forces. The services have robust policies and procedures in relation to the taking of unlawful drugs, as well as a comprehensive range of measures for raising awareness of and dealing with alcohol abuse. The evidence is that the level of taking unlawful drugs by service personnel is far below that of their civilian counterparts.

Armed Forces: Housing

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1264W, on departmental housing, how many houses owned by his Department were rated as grade  (a) one,  (b) two,  (c) three and  (d) four in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006 and (iii) 2007.

Bob Ainsworth: Officials are working to identify what information can be provided. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
	 Substantive answer from Kevan Jones to Willie Rennie, dated 2 1 February 2009:
	My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces undertook to write to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question on 27 January 2009 , Official Report, column 305W about grades of Service Family Accommodation.
	The following breakdown of Service Family Accommodation properties worldwide by each Grade for Charge (GfC) at 1 April 2005, 2006, and 2007 respectively.
	
		
			  Number 
			   2005  2006  2007 
			 G1fC 15,960 15,007 12,430 
			 G2fC 26,878 27,089 26,447 
			 G3fC 20,123 20,596 22,209 
			 G4fC 7,694 7,867 8,720

Armed Forces: Manpower

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) trained requirement,  (b) trained strength and  (c) numbers fit for duty are of (i) Territorial Army staff, (ii) Royal Armoured Corps, (iii) Royal Artillery, (iv) Royal Engineers, (v) Royal Signals, (vi) Infantry, (vii) Army Air Corps, (viii) Royal Army Chaplains Department, (ix) Royal Logistics Corps, (x) Royal Army Medical Corps, (xi) Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, (xii) Adjutant General's Corps, (xiii) Royal Army Veterinary Corps, (xiv) Small Arms School Corps, (xv) Royal Army Dentistry Corps, (xvi) Intelligence Corps, (xvii) Army Physical Training Corps and (xviii) Queen Alexandra's Royal Auxiliary Nursing Corps are.

Bob Ainsworth: In the following table, the trained requirement figures requested are shown by the funded liability. Fit for duty figures are not held centrally, however, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1117-118W, to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin) which provides infantry figures:
	
		
			  Organisation   Funded liability  Trained strength 
			 Territorial Army  42,000 36,005 
			 Royal Armoured Corps  5,823 5,570 
			 Royal Artillery  7,512 7,170 
			 Royal Engineers  9,367 (1)9,717 
			 Infantry(2)  24,535 23,135 
			 Army Air Corps  2,034 2,034 
			 Royal Army Chaplains Department  147 130 
			 Royal Logistics Corps  15,553 14,990 
			 Royal Army Medical Corps  3,354 2,980 
			 Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers  9,895 9,390 
			 Adjutant Provost 1,748 1,720 
			  Staff and Personnel Support 3,819 3,500 
			 General's Corps Educational and Training Services 315 340 
			  Army Legal Services 109 109 
			 Royal Army Veterinary Corps  216 (3)280 
			 Small Arms School Corps  140 150 
			 Royal Army Dentistry Corps  436 380 
			 Intelligence Corps  1,607 1,440 
			 Army Physical Training Corps  432 350 
			 Queen Alexandra's Royal Auxiliary Nursing Corps  1,146 830 
			 (1)( )Provisional (2)( )Excludes Gurkhas (3)( )Reflects increased operational requirements

Armed Forces: Racial Discrimination

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what policies and practices are in place to counter sectarianism and racism in the armed forces.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 19 January 2009
	The armed forces aim to create a working environment free from harassment, intimidation and unlawful discrimination in which everyone is not only valued and respected, but encouraged to realise their full potential, regardless of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, social background or sexual orientation. All complaints of discrimination or harassment are taken seriously, investigated thoroughly, and, when proven, dealt with robustly.
	Education is central to the drive to promote awareness of diversity and equality and to eliminate unacceptable behaviour. Diversity and equality training is undertaken at the Joint Equality and Diversity Training Centre and widely across all three services. Other measures include: confidential advice and support helplines; trained equality and diversity advisers in every unit; guidance, videos and briefings on diversity issues, harassment, bullying and complaints.
	A Service Complaints Commissioner for the .Armed Forces took up her appointment on 1 January 2008. The Commissioner has the power to refer allegations of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and dishonest, improper or biased behaviour to the chain of command for action. The role of the Commissioner is to provide scrutiny and assurance that the complaints process is working effectively and that lessons are learned and implemented.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruitment training courses were either cancelled or postponed in each of the last three years; and how many recruits were affected.

Bob Ainsworth: Overall some courses were cancelled or postponed but all entrants were trained without undue delay. The information available for each service is:
	 Navy
	Over the course of the last three financial years, four Royal Marine other ranks initial training courses have been cancelled; this was primarily due to the lack of recruits to fill allocated places. In all, some 120 trainees were affected as their entry to CTCRM was delayed by two weeks. No other Naval Service initial training courses were cancelled or postponed in that time.
	 Army
	Over the last three financial years 12 infantry platoons did not form up due to insufficient trainees and five courses at the Army Training Regiment Bassingbourn were cancelled. Further courses were run with reduced numbers due to trainers not being available. In total 1,197 training places were affected. Planning has ensured that no recruits were affected.
	 RAF
	In total, seven initial training courses have been cancelled over the last three years: six in FY2006-07; and one in FY2007-08. No recruits were affected, as the courses were cancelled before any recruits were allocated places.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on recruitment advertising for each of the armed forces in each month in each year since 1998.

Bob Ainsworth: A monthly breakdown of advertising expenditure is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, a detailed breakdown of armed forces recruitment advertising costs by year for each service is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   FY 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			  Naval Service( 1)   
			 Press Advertising 0.333 0.213 0.157 0.172 0.093 — 
			 TV 0.399 3.136 2.952 1.529 3.905 1.771 
			 Cinema 1.600 0.641 — 0.481 0.870 1.025 
			 Radio 1.330 1.475 0.689 — — — 
			 Posters/Leaflets 0.464 0.055 0.057 — 0.500 0.138 
			 Internet 0.257 0.445 0.257 1.741 1.100 1.144 
			 Regional/Local — — 1.076 0.496 0.500 0.500 
			 Media Partnerships — — — — — 0.215 
			 Total 4.383 5.965 5.188 4.419 6.968 4.793 
			
			  Army( 2)   
			 Press Advertising 0.379 0.620 1.443 0.723 1.100 1.272 
			 TV 4.138 10.407 10.896 6.877 9.229 10.778 
			 Cinema — 0.060 — — — — 
			 Radio — — 1.501 0.695 0.800 0.479 
			 Internet — — 0.143 0.143 0.600 0.210 
			 Outdoor — — 0.735 0.735 0.600 0.037 
			 Other 0.029 — 1.017 0.956 1.000 1,222 
			 Total 4.546 11.087 15.735 10.129 13.329 14.000 
			
			  Royal Air Force( 3)   
			 Press Advertising 0.350 0.308 0.221 0.725 0.694 1.040 
			 TV 1.780 1.718 1.362 1.468 2.527 3.061 
			 Cinema — — — — 0.235 0.600 
			 Radio 0.560 0.195 0.206 0.465 0.495 0.697 
			 Internet 0.202 0.229 0.251 0.635 0.636 3.240 
			 Other 0.238 0.518 (4)-0.084 1.051 0.271 0.384 
			 Total 3.130 2.968 1.956 4344 4.858 9.022 
			 (1) Navy figures for FY 2008-09 represent a projected forecast of expenditure. (2) Army figures for FY 2008-09 represent money spent or already committed and are not speculative. (3) RAF FY 2008-09 figures are current up to the 14 January 2009. (4) Rebate from Central Office of Information.

Army: Contracts

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what multi-activity contracts the Army has; and what the  (a) scope of activities,  (b) monetary value and  (c) date of expiry of each is.

Quentin Davies: Multi-activity contracts (MACs) provide soft facilities management services including but not limited to:
	Catering, retail and leisure;
	Waste management and cleaning services;
	Pest control; and
	Laundry and tailoring services (including footwear repair).
	In some locations, several MACs are grouped together into a super MAC (SMAC), which is managed by a single point of responsibility.
	The following table provides the information requested for the Army's 19 MACs and SMACs.
	
		
			  Formation  Contract location  Contract expiry date  Contract value (£ million) 
			 2(nd) Division Scotland (SMAC) (1)2013 45 
			  Catterick (SMAC) (1)2012 80 
			  North of England (SMAC) (1)2013 50 
			 
			 4(th) Division Mid Hants (SMAC) (1)2012 85 
			  Kent (SMAC) (1)2012 30 
			  Oxon (SMAC) (1)2013 45 
			  Wessex (SMAC) (1)2014 95 
			  Surrey (SMAC) (1)2014 60 
			  Manston (MAC) (1)2012 2 
			  Southwick Park (MAC) (1)2012 5 
			  Innsworth (MAC) 2010 5 
			  Cotswold and Gloucester (MAC) 2010 20 
			 
			 5(th) Division East Midlands (SMAC) (1)2013 35 
			  East Anglia (SMAC) (1)2014 35 
			  Wattisham and Woodbridge (SMAC) (1)2014 15 
			  Wales and West Midlands (SMAC) (1)2014 85 
			 
			 London District CapMac (MAC) (1)2015 60 
			 
			 Army Recruiting and Training Division Arborfield (MAC) 2009 15 
			  Sandhurst (MAC) 2009 30 
			 (1) The contract has options to extend it by up to three years.

Army: Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of management of each category of vehicle within the Army's wheeled vehicle fleet.

Quentin Davies: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Cluster Munitions

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the store of cluster bombs at RAF Welford has been removed since the Government signed the Oslo convention; and whether any cluster bombs remain in the UK.

Bob Ainsworth: We will have eight years, from entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions for the UK, to destroy all cluster munition stockpiles under UK jurisdiction and control. Lord Malloch Brown said in another place on 3 June 2008 that it was his expectation
	"that there will be no such weapons on British Territory at the end of the eight year period".
	Concerning any cluster munitions stored on UK territory but under United States control, we are engaged with the United States in order to meet the eight year deadline. All UK cluster munition types have been withdrawn from service. A progressive UK cluster munition disposal programme has begun, with some munitions already destroyed. We expect that all UK stockpiles will be destroyed by 2013 which we anticipate will be four or five years ahead of the deadline.

Cluster Munitions

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mechanisms his Department uses to monitor levels of compliance across military bases with the Government's commitments on cluster munitions under the Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Bob Ainsworth: All UK cluster munitions, prohibited once the Cluster Munition Convention enters into force, were withdrawn from operational service on 30 May 2008, when the Convention was adopted. All were immediately segregated for disposal to prevent use and transfer and some have already been destroyed.
	Those that are awaiting disposal are stored in a number of secure licensed munitions storage locations and, as such, all cluster munitions are fully accounted for at all times. The MOD has contractual control and oversight over all disposal contracts and disposal certificates are issued when each cluster munition has been destroyed. The MOD carries out checks on contractors to ensure compliance. There is no scope in the disposal contracts for a disposal contractor to do anything other than destroy the munitions. Furthermore, cluster munitions are recorded on the Department's inventory and explosives safety management IT systems, which means that they can be tracked and prevented from being inadvertently issued for either operational or training purposes.
	In withdrawing these munitions from service on 30 May 2008, the UK complied with the spirit of the Convention immediately and well ahead of ratification at which point the provisions of the Convention will become a legal requirement.

Cyprus: Voting Rights

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether British citizens stationed in the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia are entitled to vote.

Bob Ainsworth: Yes.

Defence Training Review Programme

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the Defence Training Review programme; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The DTR Package 1 Project continues to move forward. A final clarification and confirm exercise, evaluating the Metrix Consortium's revised proposals, is now nearing completion. The focus of the project team's and the Metrix Consortium's effort is on improving certainty of the programme, affordability, maturing the project agreement and in preparing to implement some early works activities to ensure that the contract can be signed in 2010.
	Metrix, furthermore, are undertaking a number of key activities with the support of the MOD which include environmental and other survey work at St. Athan, and development of the construction proposal with a view to submitting a planning application before the summer.

Defence: Finance

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the effect on UK military operations of changes to the budget for urgent operational requirements.

Quentin Davies: There is no such effect whatsoever.

Departmental Billing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the period in which suppliers to his Department are paid; and whether his Department issues guidance on the prompt payment of invoices.

Quentin Davies: The Department currently aims to meet the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act requirement of paying valid bills within 30 calendar days of receipt by allowing up to 19 days for MOD branches to confirm that the services or goods supplied have been satisfactorily delivered and then 11 calendar days for the Financial Management Shared Service Centre (FMSSC) to check the invoices and make payment. The FMSSC has introduced daily payment runs to enhance its flexibility in providing a prompt and efficient service to industry and the smaller supplier.
	The Department is reviewing the processes associated with the overall payment cycle and is working towards meeting the Government's 10 day target set for small and medium enterprises. Once this work is complete it should ensure that the Department is able to measure the 10 day target and report on performance against it. The 10 day target will apply to all MOD suppliers, irrespective of size, as it would be impractical to differentiate between small and medium size enterprises and others.
	Guidance on prompt payment is provided in the form of a Contract Payment Guide available via the MOD website:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/FinanceandProcurement/FMSSC/Contract PaymentGuide.htm
	The guide does not apply to goods and services covered by the electronic P2P purchasing arrangements as payment advice for this type of invoice is issued separately to suppliers. The FMSSC also operates a help desk facility to assist suppliers with their enquiries.

Departmental Data Protection

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of contractors and suppliers to  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have reported that they are compliant with the Government's security standards following publication of the report, Data Handling Procedures in Government, and the accompanying document, Cross-departmental Actions: Mandatory Minimum Action, on 25 June 2008.

Bob Ainsworth: MOD is a large organisation with a commensurate number of contracts—almost 23,000 contracts were placed in Financial Year 2007-08. MOD is in the process of confirming full compliance with all its suppliers and expects to complete this task by end March. As an initial step those defence contractors who have declared to Defence Security and Safety Assurance (MOD's Accreditation Authority), a requirement to have a connection to MOD's restricted network (the RLI) or work electronically at confidential or above, have been asked to confirm their compliance with MOD's List-X Notice on laptop and media encryption policy, issued in response to the data handling review. Some 73.3 per cent. have confirmed compliance. A further 8.3 per cent. have confirmed that they do not currently comply but have (or are in the process of) submitting risk balanced cases to describe how they are mitigating these risks together with plans to address shortcomings. 18.3 per cent. are still to respond formally and are being hastened.

Departmental Data Protection

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reported incidents of lost data there were in his Department in each year from 1987 to 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held centrally for the years requested. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Databases

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of maintaining the databases owned and managed by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies was in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008.

Bob Ainsworth: Databases can vary in their size and scope from small, locally maintained systems held on standalone computers to those used more widely across the Ministry of Defence. There is therefore no centrally held record of all databases owned and managed by the Department and its agencies and the cost of maintaining them in 2006, 2007 and 2008 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Flowers

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on  (a) pot plants and  (b) flowers in each of the last three years.

Kevan Jones: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All expenditure must comply with the principles of propriety set out in Managing Public Money and in the Treasury's handbook on regularity, propriety and value for money.
	Accessibility to expenditure information on discrete items and services is largely determined by the MOD's Chart of Accounts (Joint Service Publication 530), copies of which are placed in the Library of the House for each financial year. It is also published in the MOD's Publication Scheme at:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/FinancialReorts/Chart OfAccountsManualJsp530.htm.

Departmental ICT

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Paul Holmes) of 24 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 897-8W, on departmental ICT, how many internal investigations have been held into the  (a) loss or theft and  (b) recovery of (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) hard drives; and how many such investigations related to the loss of material classified as (A) confidential, (B) secret and (C) top secret in 2008.

Kevan Jones: The MOD takes any loss of media storage devices very seriously and has robust procedures in place. In response to the findings of the Data Handling Review and Burton Report new processes, instructions and technological aids are being implemented to mitigate human errors and raise awareness of every individual in the Department. Details of the number of investigations into lost/stolen/recovered media storage devices are not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental ICT

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions an IT system administered by his Department has failed in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: IT systems can vary in size and scope from those that stand alone on single computers and are locally managed to major systems, such as the Defence Information Infrastructure programme. There is therefore no centrally held record of all IT systems administered by the Ministry of Defence and details of the number of occasions on which each failed in the last 12 months could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Lobbying

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Ministers in his Department received representations from  (a) Lord Moonie,  (b) Lord Taylor of Blackburn,  (c) Lord Snape and  (d) Lord Truscott in the last seven months.

Kevan Jones: According to our records, the only representations are 47 parliamentary questions tabled by Lord Moonie for the period 1 July 2008 to 31 January 2009.

Departmental Official Visits

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many hon. Members have visited  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in circumstances where his Department assisted in the visit in the last three years; on what dates such visits took place; and what the purpose was of each visit.

John Hutton: Detailed information on all visits by Members of Parliament to operational theatres over the last three years is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maximum monthly allowance in addition to basic salary is for civilian employees of his Department working in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan.

Bob Ainsworth: MOD civil servants deploy into Iraq and Afghanistan on a voluntary basis to provide specialist support to UK armed forces. They are required to work long hours, usually over a six-month period and in austere living and working conditions alongside their military counterparts where they are exposed to operational risk.
	These living and working conditions are recognised through a system of taxable operational allowances:
	Operational deployment allowance (ODA) takes into account the working and living conditions experienced in theatre. It is reviewed on a regular basis.
	Operational working allowance (OWA) recognises the very long hours and additional duties undertaken by deployees in excess of their normally contracted employment. The minimum operational working week is 82 hours as opposed to the standard UK 37 hour week. Many work in excess of those hours.
	The total sum payable to an individual will vary. It is dependent on both their grade and their location. The current maximum monthly allowance in Iraq is £8,250 before tax for a Band B civil servant based in Basra. In Afghanistan it is £8,000 before tax for an identically graded civil servant based in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province. By comparison a Band D civil servant in Basra and Lashkar Gah would be paid sums of £5,250 and £5,000 respectively.

Departmental Public Appointments

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the public appointments for which his Department is responsible are due to be  (a) renewed and  (b) filled in the next 24 months; what the (i) remit, (ii) salary, (iii) political restriction, (iv) eligibility requirement and (v) timetable for each appointment is; and what records his Department keeps in respect of such appointments.

Kevan Jones: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The process for making a public appointment, including guidance on political activity and eligibility criteria, follows the Cabinet Office publication 'Making and Managing Public Appointments'. For appointments regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the appointments process also complies with the 'Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies'. Copies are in the Libraries of the House. Vacancies may be advertised on the Cabinet Office Public Appointments website at
	www.publicappointments.gov.uk.
	Successful candidates are requested to declare their political activities. Information on MOD's Public Appointments can be found at
	www.mod.uk.

Departmental Recruitment

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many new recruits his Department took on in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07,  (c) 2007-08 and  (d) 2008-09; how many of these were taken on as (i) permanent, (ii) temporary and (iii) agency staff; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent figures for (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11.

Kevan Jones: Information on the numbers of recruits appointed in the Department as permanent, temporary or agency staff in years 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 is provided in the following table. The Department does not currently have firm estimates for civilian external recruitment for the years 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Permanent 4,260 3,810 3,950 3,270 
			 Temporary 1,930 1,780 1,410 820 
			 Agency 774 783 1,429 1,676

Departmental Staff

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department were disciplined for  (a) bullying and  (b) harassment of colleagues in each of the last three years.

Kevan Jones: The information requested is not held centrally for all the dates requested. However, records held centrally of civilian staff disciplined specifically for bullying and harassment of colleagues in the Department for the periods:
	March 2007 to March 2008 include 16 cases of disciplinary action specifically for bullying and harassment of colleagues.
	April 2008 to January 2009 include 10 cases of disciplinary action specifically for bullying and harassment of colleagues.

Departmental Working Hours

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the policy of his Department and its agencies is on granting staff time off in lieu for working  (a) in lunch breaks,  (b) in evenings and  (c) at other times outside contracted working hours; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: Staff who work in excess of their conditioned hours have the opportunity to receive payment for those hours worked or take the time off in agreement with their local line management.

Departmental Working Hours

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many days off in lieu were granted to staff in  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies for working (i) in lunch breaks and (ii) at other times outside contracted working hours, in the last year for which figures are available.

Kevan Jones: The Department does not hold this information centrally.

EU Rapid Reaction Force

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 5 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1406W, on EU rapid reaction force, what forces are available for planning purposes for EU missions.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the then Secretary of State my right hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Des Browne) gave on 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2348W.

Falkland Islands: Air Routes

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he next plans to review the fares applicable to the Falkland Islands Airbridge; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The fares for civilian access to the South Atlantic Airbridge are presently governed by the 1992 Joint Policy Statement between the FCO and MOD. A new Joint Policy Statement is nearing agreement and, once signed, a new fare structure will be implemented.

HMS Endurance

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects a full assessment of the damage to HMS Endurance on 16 December 2008 to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Work has been already undertaken to assess HMS Endurance's material state, but further investigations are required which will take place on her return to the UK at the end of March. It is estimated that a full assessment of its condition will be completed by the end of May.

Infantry: Manpower

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) full strength and  (b) actual number of deployable troops is of each infantry battalion; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The figures requested are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Division  Unit  Actual strength  Number of deployable troops 
			  Guards 1 Grenadier Guards 549 494 
			  1 Coldstream Guards 511 490 
			  1 Scots Guards 548 515 
			  1 Irish Guards 602 528 
			  1 Welsh Guards 584 492 
			 
			  Scots 1 Scots 554 486 
			  2 Scots 476 391 
			  3 Scots 575 512 
			  4 Scots 588 507 
			  5 Scots 561 494 
			 
			  Queen's 1 Princess of Wales Royal Regiment 683 600 
			  2 Princess of Wales Royal Regiment 524 491 
			  1 Royal Regt Fusiliers 677 629 
			  2 Royal Regt Fusiliers 505 412 
			  1 Royal Anglian 733 683 
			  2 Royal Anglian 627 568 
			 
			  King's 1 Lancs 670 609 
			  2 Lancs 607 527 
			  1 Yorks 519 457 
			  2 Yorks 489 430 
			  3 Yorks 626 540 
			 
			  PoW 1 Mercian 523 468 
			  2 Mercian 564 476 
			  3 Mercian 594 528 
			  1 Royal Welsh 543 494 
			  2 Royal Welsh 625 521 
			 
			  Rifles 1 Rifles 542 477 
			  2 Rifles 619 518 
			  3 Rifles 634 602 
			  4 Rifles 647 558 
			  5 Rifles 712 613 
			 
			  RI 1 Royal Irish 571 477 
			 
			  Para 2 Para 677 588 
			  3 Para 662 605 
			 
			  RGR 1 Royal Gurkha Rifles 739 713 
			  2 Royal Gurkha Rifles 925 895 
		
	
	In addition to the battalions shown in the table there are three incremental Guards companies which are primarily for public duties but which can also be used to augment the other Guards battalions as required.
	
		
			  Unit  Actual strength  Number of deployable troops 
			 Nijmegen Coy Grenadier Guards 109 99 
			 7 Coy Coldstream Guards 90 88 
			 F Coy Scots Guards 108 98 
		
	
	The figures in both tables include personnel filling all roles within each battalion, not just infantrymen. Some of these roles are by their nature non-deployable, for instance forming part of the rear party of a deployed unit.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse of the UK's involvement in military action in Iraq has been in each of the last five years.

John Hutton: The audited outturn for the net additional costs of military operations in Iraq for each of the last five years is published in the relevant annual report and accounts, as set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Iraq 
			  £ million 
			   Resource costs( 1)  Capital equipment  Total 
			 2003-04 1,051 260 1,311 
			 2004-05 747 163 910 
			 2005-06 798 160 958 
			 2006-07 787 169 956 
			 2007-08 1,055 402 1,457 
			 Total to date 4,438 1,154 5,592 
			 (1) 'Resource' includes both near cash and non-cash costs.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2009,  Official Report, column 509W, on the Joint Strike Fighter, what estimate he has made of the effect of the recent changes in the value of sterling against the US dollar on the cost of the development phase of the Joint Strike Fighter programme.

Quentin Davies: Since the UK joined the development phase of the joint strike fighter programme in 2001 we have benefited significantly from the strength of the pound against the dollar and as a result forecasted costs are still expected to remain within the approved level. As the UK contributions to this phase of the programme are largely complete, I do not anticipate a significant impact.

Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability Programme

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the planning assumption date for each element of the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability craft is.

Quentin Davies: The Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) programme is in its assessment phase. It is MOD policy not to publish internal planning assumption dates while programmes are in this phase and prior to the main investment decision being taken.

Military Aircraft

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many air-to-air refuelling sorties were flown by the  (a) Tornado and  (b) Harrier fleets in the United Kingdom in each month of each of the last five financial years;
	(2)  what the rate of rejection of eco-engines from first line in the United Kingdom was in each week of each of the last five financial years;
	(3)  how much aviation fuel was transferred to the Tornado air defence and ground attack fleets during air-to-air refuelling operations in the United Kingdom in each week of each of the last five financial years;
	(4)  how much aviation fuel was used by the Tornado air defence and ground attack fleets in the United Kingdom in each week of each of the last five financial years;
	(5)  how much aviation fuel was consumed by the Harrier fleet in the United Kingdom in each week of each of the last five financial years;
	(6)  what the rate of rejection of RB 199 aero engines from first line was in the United Kingdom in each week of each of the last five financial years.

Bob Ainsworth: I will write to the hon. Member.
	 Substantive answer from Bob Ainsworth to  David  Lidington:
	I undertook to write to you in answer to your six Parliamentary Questions on 19 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1051W, requesting information about fuel consumption and engine rejection rates for the Harrier and Tornado fleets.
	You asked for a range of detailed and specific information about fuel consumption, much of which is not held centrally in the format requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, you have since indicated that your main interest in asking about fuel consumption was to establish whether there is an unjustified increase in RAF flying patterns towards the end of a financial year, designed to ensure that all available fuel is consumed and to justify future fuel budgets. Relevant data are readily available showing the volume of fuel transferred on the ground and during air-to-air refuelling (AAR) with UK tankers, for the Harrier, Tornado GR4 and Tornado F3 fleets for each financial year. This indicates fuel consumption trends by month across financial years since 2005-06. Data prior to 2005-06 are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	These data are set out in the following tables. To better show the trends they have also been presented in graphs for each financial year in an annex to this letter. It should be noted that the figures provided do not include fuel transferred from foreign tankers, for example during NATO exercises. They also do not include data for AAR consumption by 14 Squadron (Tornado GR4) based at RAF Lossiemouth, which are not available. Additionally, due to the relatively small level of consumption, figures for the Fast Jet Weapons Operational Evaluation Units are only recorded annually and so have not been included, as to do so would not assist in analysing any possible month on month trends. Because the figures which are missing are relatively small we do not consider them to be statistically significant.
	
		
			  Fuel transferred (million litres) 
			   Tornado F3  Tornado GR4  Harrier GR7/9 
			  2005-06
			 April 6.17 8.02 3.04 
			 May 7.77 11.19 3.64 
			 June 8.94 10.13 4.11 
			 July 7.17 16.02 6.50 
			 August 8.09 13.04 3.66 
			 September 7.58 12.69 4.42 
			 October 6.14 12.23 4.47 
			 November 6.58 13.48 4.38 
			 December 3.75 8.27 2.15 
			 January 6.16 10.67 3.24 
			 February 6.62 12.57 4.11 
			 March 5.67 9.73 3.40 
			 Total 80.64 138.04 47.12 
			 
			  2006-07
			 April 4.66 8.76 2.03 
			 May 7.20 10.68 2.33 
			 June 7.36 12.08 2.74 
			 July 5.77 22.47 5.40 
			 August 6.14 12.13 2.02 
			 September 5.38 13.59 2.26 
			 October 7.86 12.69 3.95 
			 November 5.48 13.12 2.71 
			 December 4.76 10.95 3.00 
			 January 5.07 9.54 3.02 
			 February 4.44 11.06 3.16 
			 March 6.76 11.76 1.72 
			 Total 70.88 148.83 36.51 
			 
			  2007-08
			 April 5.76 11.61 2.62 
			 May 5.29 9.08 2.83 
			 June 6.61 16.15 3.15 
			 July 4.42 11.01 2.97 
			 August 4.51 13.26 2.49 
			 September 4.97 12.33 3.36 
			 October 5.14 12.73 2.85 
			 November 5.73 8.52 2.46 
			 December 3.48 9.03 2.29 
			 January 5.01 11.58 3.22 
			 February 3.02 5.92 1.72 
			 March 4.62 12.28 3.21 
			 Total 58.56 133.50 33.17 
		
	
	As you can see, the data do not indicate a general upturn in fuel consumption in the final months of a financial year. Although this does occur in some cases, there are also some decreases at the end of financial years and peaks occurring at other times of the year. There are a number of reasons why flying rates may increase from December to March, including the improving weather and the fact that there is normally less flying in December and January, owing to traditional periods of leave. Flying may also increase in March because aircrew need to renew certain qualifications before the end of the training year, which coincides with the end of the financial year.
	You also asked about the rejection from first line in the UK for the Pegasus and RB 199 engines in each week of the last five financial years. This data is available on a monthly basis for both engine types from 2005-06 only and is provided in the following table. It is to be expected that there will be a higher number of rejected RB 199 engines, due to the much larger size of the Tornado fleet (for example there are currently 210 Tornado F3 and GR4 and only 75 Harrier GR9 in the fleet) and the fact that that the Tornado is a dual-engine aircraft, whereas the Harrier only has one Pegasus engine. However, on average the rate of rejection for the three financial years works out at almost the same: 3.39 engines per 1000 flying hours for the Tornado RB 199 engine as opposed to 3.52 for the Harrier Pegasus engine.
	An 'engine rejection' occurs when it is deemed unserviceable and the necessary repair action cannot be carried out with the engine installed or is beyond the capability of the engineers on the squadron. Unserviceability may be caused by, among other things, physical damage to the engine, engine components becoming life expired, unsatisfactory vibration characteristics or poor performance.
	
		
			   Rejection rate of the RB 199 engine (fitted to the Tornado F3 and GR4) per 1000 flying hours  Rejection rate of the Pegasus engine (fitted to the Harrier GR7/9) per 1000 flying hours 
			  2005-06   
			 April 3.66 1.59 
			 May 1.89 7.17 
			 June 5.06 0.76 
			 July 2.19 4.45 
			 August 3.00 5.81 
			 September 3.20 4.05 
			 October 3.16 5.29 
			 November 2.60 4.87 
			 December 3.27 4.27 
			 January 2.16 4.22 
			 February 3.65 1.97 
			 March 3.95 2.90 
			
			  2006-07   
			 April 3.19 2.22 
			 May 3.63 8.37 
			 June 3.31 1.54 
			 July 5.07 4.77 
			 August 2.79 2.83 
			 September 2.24 3.17 
			 October 3.24 2.14 
			 November 3.74 1.37 
			 December 2.92 4.80 
			 January 3.82 5.22 
			 February 2.55 1.87 
			 March 4.23 1.64 
			
			  2007-08   
			 April 2.93 2.51 
			 May 4.00 3.06 
			 June 4.91 4.30 
			 July 3.23 2.30 
			 August 4.12 4.81 
			 September 3.88 4.03 
			 October 4.51 2.63 
			 November 3.61 3.55 
			 December 3.01 1.97 
			 January 2.90 0.94 
			 February 3.47 6.03 
			 March 3.06 3.44 
		
	
	I hope this letter fully addresses your concerns.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters were in service with the  (a) Army,  (b) Royal Navy and  (c) RAF in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2009, broken down by type.

Bob Ainsworth: The number of helicopters in service in 1997 and 2009 are shown in the tables. "In service" has been taken to mean the effective fleet, that is all aircraft in Forward and Depth, which are those aircraft expected to be flown by the MOD.
	
		
			  Army 
			  Number 
			  Aircraft type/mark  April 1997  February 2009 
			 Augusta 109 4 4 
			 Apache 0 67 
			 Gazelle 208 56 
			 Lynx Mk7/9 130 96 
		
	
	
		
			  Royal Navy 
			  Number 
			  Aircraft type/mark  April 1997  February 2009 
			 Lynx Mk3/8 78 62 
			 Merlin Mk1 0 42 
			 Sea King Mk2 13 0 
			 Sea King Mk4 37 37 
			 Sea King Mk5 17 15 
			 Sea King Mk6 54 0 
			 Sea King Mk6CR 0 5 
			 Sea King Mk7 0 13 
		
	
	
		
			  Royal Air Force 
			  Number 
			  Aircraft type/mark  April 1997  February 2009 
			 Chinook Mk2/2a 40 40 
			 Merlin Mk3/3a 0 28 
			 Puma 40 34 
			 Sea King Mk3/3a 23 25 
			 Wessex 16 0 
		
	
	These figures do not include the eight Chinook Mk3 aircraft being reverted to support helicopter standard. Aircraft leased by the MOD are also excluded.

Military Aircraft: Training

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average number of training hours spent by fast jet pilots in each aircraft type in the Royal Air Force was in each  (a) year since 2003 and  (b) month of 2008.

Bob Ainsworth: Officials are collating the information requested. I will write to the hon. Member when this work is complete and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Military Aircraft: Training

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average number of training hours spent by personnel serving in each type of tanker and transport aircraft in the Royal Air Force has been in each  (a) year since 2003 and  (b) month of 2008.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 November 2008,  Official Report, column 306W.
	Information on a monthly breakdown for 2008 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Military Aircraft: Training

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many training sorties for each Royal Air Force fast jet type have been cancelled in the last two years.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Military Bases: Wales

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the active military sites located in Wales.

Kevan Jones: Given the way the information is held, it will take officials a little longer to separately identify all of the active military sites in Wales from those that are not in use.
	I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
	 Substantive answer from Kevan Jones to David Jones:
	I undertook to provide a list of current Ministry of Defence sites in Wales in answer to your Parliamentary Question on 18 December 2008, (Official Report, column 967W).
	It should be noted that the list below does not include the Volunteer Estate, Army Career and Information Offices, Armed Forces Careers Offices or Service Family Accommodation.
	Atomic Weapons Establishment Lampeter Seismic Station
	Brecon Barracks
	Caernarfon Army Museum
	Caerwent Training Area
	Capel Curig Training Camp
	Capel Curig Weather Station
	Cardiff Weather Centre
	Castlemartin Ranges
	Cawdor Barracks
	Cwrt-Y-Gollen Training Camp
	Former Defence Supply and Distribution Centre Llangennech
	Dering Lines Infantry Battle School
	Fairbourine Resource Initiative Training Centre
	Hightown Barracks
	HMS Collingwood Pant-Y-Rhiw Base Camp
	HMS Excellent Training Centre Pant-Y-Rhiw
	Joint School For Adventurous Training Instructors Llanrwst
	Joint Service Mountain Training Centre Indefatigable
	Joint Service Mountain Training Centre Tywyn
	Kinmel Park Training Camp
	Llanuwchllyn Seismic Research Station
	Maindy Barracks
	Merrion Training Camp
	MOD Aberporth
	MOD St. Athan
	MOD Sealand
	Moel-Y-Parc Training Area
	Pembroke Marine Salvage Depot
	Penally Training Camp
	Pendine Range
	Pwllholm Training Camp
	RAF Mona
	RAF Pembrey Sands
	RAF Valley
	Royal Artillery Range Manorbier
	Rogiet Moor Rifle Range
	Sennybridge Camp and Army Field Training Centre
	Templeton Training Area
	Ty-Croes Radar Station
	Umchmyndd Weather Station
	Ynys Gaint Anglesey

Museums and Galleries: Finance

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which  (a) museums and  (b) other cultural institutions his Department regularly gives a grant; and what the amount of each grant was in the latest year for which figures are available.

Kevan Jones: In 2007-08 grants in aid were paid to the following museums:
	
		
			  Body  Total (£) 
			 Royal Air Force Museum 7,019,000 
			 National Army Museum 5,489,000 
			 Royal Naval Museum 873,000 
			 Royal Marines Museum 765,000 
			 Fleet Air Arm Museum 614,000 
			 Royal Navy Submarine Museum 576,000 
		
	
	In 2007-08 grants in aid were paid to the following bodies which may be assessed as being cultural institutions:
	
		
			  Body  Total (£) 
			 Commonwealth War Graves Commission 34,000,000 
			 Royal Hospital Chelsea 9,000,000 
			 Royal British Legion 202,000 
			 National Memorial Arboretum 189,000 
		
	
	The information relating to Service Museums has been published on pages 330 and 331 of volume II of the MOD's Annual Report and Accounts for 2007-08, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.
	This document is also available in the MOD's Freedom of Information Publication scheme at:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/MODAnnualReports0708/

Netherlands: Joint Exercises

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1116W, on Netherlands: military exercises, 
	(1)  how many Royal Marines he expects to participate in the 2009 UK/Netherlands amphibious landing force training exercise.
	(2)  where the 2009 exercise will take place.

Bob Ainsworth: Up to 700 Royal Marines are expected to participate in support of the 2009 UK/Netherlands amphibious landing force exercise, which is expected to take place in Turkey and Brunei.

Reserve Forces

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the report of the review of the reserve forces to be published.

Bob Ainsworth: In the spring.

Somalia: Piracy

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what legislative or other authority Royal Navy ships may come under European Union command during Operation Atalanta.

Bob Ainsworth: Operation Atalanta was launched by a Joint Action, a unanimous decision of the Council of Ministers of the European Union, which comprises national Ministers from each of the EU member states. In the UK this decision was subject to parliamentary scrutiny.
	Royal Navy ships that the UK Government decide to make available to participate in Operation Atalanta come under command of the EU's Operation Commander for the operation, Rear Admiral Philip Jones RN, based in his operation headquarters at Northwood.
	In his role as Operation Commander, Admiral Jones reports to the Political and Security Committee, a Council body in which ambassadors from each of the EU member states exercise political control and strategic direction over the operation, on instructions from national authorities.
	The Political and Security Committee reports regularly on the progress of the operation to the Council of Ministers.

Stabilisation Aid Fund

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide a breakdown of his Department's contribution of £15,350,000 to the Stabilisation Aid Fund as referred to in the written ministerial statement of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 78-9WS, on departmental expenditure limits.

John Hutton: The Stabilisation Aid Fund (SAF) amounts to £73 million in 2008-09. For the purpose of the fund's financial management, the SAF sits on the MOD's baseline, but is managed jointly by the Department for International Development (DFID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the MOD. During the course of the financial year, the MOD has transferred funds to the FCO and DFID according to their forecast expenditure on SAF projects. The transfer of £15.35 million at spring supplementary estimates to the FCO is to cover residual forecast expenditure across a number of projects. Of this, £1.75 million is for project costs in Iraq, and £13.6 million for project costs in Afghanistan.

UK Forces: Afghanistan

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what formal statement of co-operation in relation to UK forces operations and activities in Afghanistan has been approved by  (a) NATO and  (b) the EU.

John Hutton: holding  answer  2 February 2009
	UK forces in Afghanistan operate under the auspices of a Military Technical Agreement between the International Security Assistance Force and the Government of Afghanistan. This arrangement is in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1833.

Warships

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of the BVT Surface Fleet; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: BVT Surface Fleet Ltd. (BVT) became fully operational on 1 July 2008 and is one of the Department's key maritime industrial partners. The company is at the heart of the future warship build programme, for example as the prime contractor for the Type 45 destroyers, playing a key role in the Alliance that will deliver the future carrier, and in providing maintenance support to in-service Royal Navy warships through the Surface Ship Support (SSS) Programme and the Warship Support Modernisation Initiative (WSMi).
	MOD and BVT are working to establish a new long-term incentive based Terms of Business Agreement (TOBA) which will seek to transform their surface warship business delivering significant benefit to MOD, its industrial partners and taxpayers.

Warships

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the warship construction programme; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Good progress continues to be made across the future warship build programme.
	Centred on the Type 45 destroyers, the Astute class submarines, the Future Aircraft Carriers and the Future Surface Combatant, it is providing industry with a strong orderbook which will continue well into the next decade and beyond.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Foreign Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Leader of the House how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed by her Office.

Chris Bryant: The office of the Leader of the House of Commons employs one EU foreign national and no non-EU foreign nationals.

Departmental Plants

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Leader of the House how much her Office has spent on  (a) pot plants and  (b) cut flowers in each of the last three years.

Chris Bryant: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons spent £1,872.72 on the provision of plants and flowers during the 2007-08 financial year.
	Following a machinery of government change, information prior to 2007-08 is available only at disproportionate cost.
	A decision was taken in January 2009 to terminate the contract for plants and flowers at the earliest possible opportunity.

Members: Allowances

Nick Hurd: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Chichester (Mr. Tyrie) of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1W, on Members: allowances, how many requests for advances of communications allowance have been granted to date; and what the reasons for the request for the advance was in each case.

Chris Bryant: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Chichester (Mr. Tyrie) on 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1W, in which I answered that no advance from the Communications Allowance had been requested either in the year 2009-10 or the previous year. There have been no requests for advances from the Communications Allowance in the period since this answer.

PRIME MINISTER

Ministers: Pay

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what criteria are used to determine which Ministers receive ministerial salaries and which Ministers receive no salary; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what percentage of Government Ministers who are unpaid are  (a) male and  (b) female; and if he will make a statement.

Gordon Brown: Details of which Ministers are unpaid are a matter of public record and can be found in the Ministerial Appointments press notices issued by my Office. Copies are available in the Library of the House and are also available on the No. 10 website:
	http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/press-notices
	All ministerial salaries are paid in accordance with the "Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975".

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits Helpline

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will assess the effects of the methods of operation of Benefits Helpline on benefits claimants; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations he has received on the operations of a company called Benefits Helpline; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Department for Work and Pensions makes advice on benefits and a wide range of other entitlements easily accessible to everyone through a variety of channels including information leaflets, telephone helplines, websites, and through intermediary organisations working closely with us.
	These sources of help and information are consistently promoted through the Department for Work and Pensions website, phone books, in Jobcentres and pension centres and by local authorities.
	In order to streamline public access to this and other Departments' information, it is now government policy that Departments should use Directgov:
	www.direct.gov.uk
	an online, TV and mobile phone service, providing citizens with access to information and services from across Government. This will replace the large numbers of standalone websites that Government currently run. The change is taking place between now and 2011.
	We also run many promotional campaigns to ensure that eligible and vulnerable people are aware of their entitlements.
	We would always recommend that where people are seeking information on entitlements, they should turn to the relevant Department for Work and Pensions agency or trusted sources of information like Age Concern and the Citizen's Advice Bureau.
	We are aware that other organisations promote benefits advice services on a commercial basis and have received a small number of representations. However, these services are not in themselves illegal, and it is the responsibility of the service Regulator to monitor their operation and to take action where necessary to control them.

Carer's Allowance

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of people in receipt of carer's allowance who are over retirement age;
	(2)  how many people were  (a) eligible to receive and  (b) in receipt of carer's allowance in the last year for which figures are available.

Jonathan R Shaw: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Carer ' s allowance caseloads: May 2008 
			   Total  Pension age 
			 Cases in payment 480,730 29,270 
			 Entitlements 882,800 374,530 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Pension age means women aged 60 and over, and men aged 65 and over. 3. "Cases in payment" shows the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and excludes people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended. 4. "Entitlements" shows the number of people who, following an application for carer's allowance, were assessed as eligible. This figure includes those who receive no actual payment as well as those who are actually receiving benefit. 5. These figures are published on the DWP website at: www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp  Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission: Marketing

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission plans to spend on advertising in ( a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 27 January  2009
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission plans to spend on advertising in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11.
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is currently developing its communication strategy, and therefore any plans for spend on advertising have not yet been finalised.

Children: Maintenance

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what guidance the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission has issued in fulfilment of its obligations under section 5 of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008;
	(2)  how many  (a) parents with care and  (b) non-resident parents have been referred by the Child Maintenance Options Service to the face-to-face service in each month since July 2008.

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

Children: Maintenance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of people who have made applications to the Child Support Agency since March 2003 have not yet received any maintenance payments; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 L etter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people who have made applications to the Child Support Agency since March 2003 have not yet received any maintenance payments; and if he will make a statement.
	Table 2.1 of the December 2008 Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics (QSS) shows that 1,677,000 applications have been received between March 2003 and December 2008 under the current scheme. The QSS is available in the House of Commons library or online at:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/publications/statistics.html
	Table 2.3 of the QSS shows that of the 1,677,000 applications received since March 2003, 39,600 cases with a positive maintenance assessment have still not resulted in a payment to the parent with care. This represents 2% of all applications received.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what criteria the Child Support Agency uses in determining whether a consolatory payment may be made; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many  (a) consolatory payments and  (b) other compensatory payments the Child Support Agency has been made to residents of (i) Ribble Valley constituency, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) the UK in each of the last 10 years; and what the monetary value of such payments was in each such year;
	(3)  what the  (a) highest and  (b) average value of consolatory payments made by the Child Support Agency for maladministration was in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how many consolatory payments for maladministration were made by the Child Support Agency in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 12 February 2009
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Minister promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	and:
	and:
	and:
	How many consolatory payments for maladministration were made by the Child Support Agency in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.
	We spoke to your office who confirmed that, in parliamentary question number 256032, the word 'consolatory' should be substituted for 'consultancy'.
	Since the 1st November 2008, the Child Support Agency has been the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. The Commission is focused on providing high standards of customer service and seeks to provide rapid and satisfactory resolution of client complaints. In the event that official error or delay has had an adverse impact on a client, the Commission operates a discretionary scheme providing financial redress.
	Consolatory payments form part of financial redress and are made by way of an apology for the handling of a client's case. These payments are not usually large amounts but do acknowledge that a client's case has not been handled as well as might have been expected. Consolatory payments are considered in very exceptional circumstances, where maladministration has had a direct adverse impact on the life of the client or, much more exceptionally, on that of another person, for example the client's spouse. Each case is considered individually.
	Information on the number of consolatory and compensatory payments made to residents in specific geographic areas is not available as the information is not routinely recorded in this format.
	However, the remainder of the information requested regarding the total number of consolatory payments for residents of the UK and the highest, average and total amount of consolatory payments made for maladministration is presented in the attached tables. Information prior to December 2001 is not available, therefore the first full year is 2002/03.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Annex B 
			  Consolatory payments (UK figures) 
			   Consolatory  Financial loss  Compensation for delay 
			   Value( 3)  (£ million)  Number of payments( 2)  Value( 3)  (£ million)  Number of payments( 2)  Value( 3)  (£ million)  Number of payments( 2) 
			 2002-03 0.7 8,400 1.3 5,900 0.2 700 
			 2003-04 0.4 5,600 1.4 4,900 0.1 800 
			 2004-05 0.6 9,000 2.4 7,100 0.1 1,700 
			 2005-06 0.6 9,200 3.1 5,900 0.2 2,100 
			 2006-07 0.7 9,200 2.5 4,700 0.4 1,900 
			 2007-08 0.7 9,300 3.4 4,700 0.4 1,900 
		
	
	
		
			  Consolatory payments made for maladministration (UK figures) 
			   Consolatory payments 
			   Upper range of award (£)  Average payment( 1)  Value( 3)  (£ million)  Number of payments( 2) 
			 2002-03 1,550 78.00 0.7 8,400 
			 2003-04 500 69.00 0.4 5,600 
			 2004-05 1,000 65.00 0.6 9,000 
			 2005-06 1,500 66.00 0.6 9,200 
			 2006-07 1,000 72.00 0.7 9,200 
			 2007-08 2,000 78.00 0.7 9,300 
			 (1) The figures for average payment are rounded to the nearest £1. (2) The figures for the total number of payments are rounded to the nearest 100. (3) The figures for the value of payment are rounded to the nearest £0.1 million.  Note: Information prior to December 2001 is not available.

Children: Maintenance

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many liability orders were issued in each region in each of the last three years by  (a) his Department and  (b) the (i) agencies and (ii) commissions for which he is accountable.

Kitty Ussher: I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 11 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1977-79W.

Cold Weather Payments: North Yorkshire

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of households in areas covered by weather stations situated in North Yorkshire which will be eligible for cold weather payments in 2008-09.

Kitty Ussher: The only weather station used for the cold weather payments scheme which is situated in North Yorkshire is Linton on Ouse. The estimated number of benefit units which are eligible for cold weather payments in 2008-09 and whose postcodes are linked to Linton on Ouse weather station is 138,900.
	 Notes:
	1. Some postcodes in North Yorkshire are not linked to Linton on Ouse weather station and some postcodes outside North Yorkshire are linked to Linton on Ouse weather station.
	2. Cold Weather Payments are made to benefit units rather than households. For example, a disabled adult on income support living with his mother on pension credit counts as two benefit units but would be thought of as one household. Estimates of the number of households eligible for cold weather payments are not available.
	3. The estimate has been rounded to the nearest 100.

Compensation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions compensatory payments have been made by  (a) the Pension Service and  (b) the Child Support Agency in each of the last 12 months; and what the total monetary value of such payments was in each of those months.

Rosie Winterton: The Department is focused on providing high standards of customer service and seeks to provide rapid and satisfactory resolution of any customer complaints. In the event that agency error or delay may have an adverse effect on a customer, the Department operates a discretionary scheme providing financial redress. Under these arrangements a special payment can be made to compensate for the impact of any error on the customer.
	The information requested is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Compensatory payments authorised by month by the Pension, Disability and Carers Service 
			   Number of payments authorised  Value of payments authorised (£000) 
			  2008   
			 January 613 1,414 
			 February 562 1,338 
			 March 467 1,128 
			 April 609 1,360 
			 May 592 3,044 
			 June 630 1,765 
			 July 804 2.311 
			 August 695 2,210 
			 September 825 2,126 
			 October 756 2,046 
			 November 695 2,078 
			 December 684 1,990 
		
	
	
		
			  Compensatory payments authorised by month by the Child Support Agency and the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission 
			   Number of payments authorised  Value of payments authorised (£000) 
			  2008   
			 January 1,461 4,623 
			 February 1,852 5,689 
			 March 1,351 4,583 
			 April 1,772 6,744 
			 May 1,759 5,416 
			 June 1,474 3,686 
			 July 1,624 3,975 
			 August 1,254 2,747 
			 September 1,072 2,639 
			 October 1,304 3,476 
			 November 964 2,853 
			 December 1,190 2,302 
			  Notes:  1. The figures represent the number of payments authorised in each month.  2. Figures for the amount paid have been rounded to the nearest hundred pounds.  3. The figures do not include special payments awarded on an extra statutory basis or as part of a special exercise.  4. The Pension Service and the Disability and Carers Service were brought together into a single agency from 1 April 2008. The figures quoted reflect payments authorised by the Pension Service element of the new agency.  5. The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission replaced the Child Support Agency from 1 November 2008.

Council Tax Benefits: Greater London

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many outstanding unprocessed  (a) council tax benefit and  (b) housing benefit claims there were in each London borough in each (i) quarter of each year from 1998 to 2008 and (ii) of the last 12 months; and what the average number of days taken to process (A) council tax benefit and (B) housing benefit applications was in each London borough in each (1) quarter of each year from 1998 to 2008 and (2) of the last 12 months.

Kitty Ussher: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Northavon (Steve Webb) on 5 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1417W.

Crisis Loans

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of refusals of crisis loan applications were  (a) subject to appeal and  (b) overturned on appeal in each of the last four years;
	(2)  how long on average it took for successful crisis loan applicants to receive payment in each of the last four years;
	(3)  how long the process of appealing against refusal of a crisis loan application took on average in each of the last four years.

Kitty Ussher: A first review is a review at Jobcentre Plus requested by an applicant. Data are not available on the number of refusals of crisis loan applications which were  (a) subject to first review and  (b) overturned on first review. This is because some crisis loan applicants apply for a review of a partial award and data are only available on the number of all crisis loan applications which were  (a) subject to first review and  (b) overturned on first review. Similarly, data are not available on the average time taken to process a first review of a refusal of a crisis loan application, but are only available on the average time taken to process all first reviews of crisis loan applications.
	Information regarding reviews by the Independent Review Service is a matter for the social fund commissioner.
	Crisis loan awards for items are normally sent by post, so data are not available on the average time taken for successful crisis loan applicants to receive payment. However, data are available on the average time taken to process all crisis loan applications, but not on the average time taken to process successful applications only.

Crisis Loans: North East

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time was for decisions to be taken on crisis loan applications in the North East in each month of 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: The available information is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Crisis loan applications in the North East in 2008 by month 
			  Month  Average actual clearance time (working days) 
			 January 1.3 
			 February 1.3 
			 March 1.3 
			 April 1.3 
			 May 1.3 
			 June 1.2 
			 July 1.3 
			 August 1.3 
			 September 1.2 
			 October 1.2 
			 November 1.2 
			 December 1.4 
			  Notes: 1. The clearance time for an individual crisis loan application is measured in whole working days from the date the application is received until the date the decision is taken on whether to make a loan offer, plus, if a loan offer is made, the number of whole working days between receiving the applicant's reply to the offer and the recording of that reply. The minimum clearance time recorded for an individual crisis loan application is one working day, even if the application is cleared immediately. 2. Numbers are based on applications cleared in each month, not on applications received during that month.  Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System

Departmental Data Protection

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many members of staff in his Department have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997.

Jonathan R Shaw: Information on the numbers of staff in the Department for Work and Pensions that have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to the Department in each year since 1997 is not available in the format requested.
	The Department for Work and Pensions records the numbers of staff investigated, suspended and dismissed for misconduct under general headings, but does not record this information under the specific categories requested. To extract more detailed information from individual records under the categories requested would be at disproportionate cost.
	Departments have taken urgent and decisive action across government to improve data handing including minimising the amount of data put on removable media, encryption programmes for data and mobile devices that carry personal protected data and the introduction of training and education programmes to improve staff awareness of information risks.
	Government take data security very seriously which is why a report into data handling procedures across government was commissioned and new measures to improve and strengthen controls in the protection of personal data were introduced.
	Following publication of the Data Handling Report in June 2008, the Department for Work and Pensions has clarified its disciplinary rules and standards of behaviour to reinforce security measures around the safeguarding of data and equipment.

Departmental Databases

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the number of inaccurate records held on his Department's customer information system.

Jonathan R Shaw: The DWP customer information system (CIS) holds over 90 million records, of which around 35 million relate to people receiving benefits who have an obligation to report changes to their personal information. There is no such obligation for those people who are not receiving benefits and for that reason it is not possible to provide an estimate of the number of records which may contain details which are not up to date.
	The Department has put in place procedures to ensure that queries about the accuracy of personal information held on the customer information system are dealt with as soon as they are identified.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department were disciplined for  (a) bullying and  (b) harassment of colleagues in each of the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: This information is not available in the format requested. To extract more detailed information from individual records under the category requested would be at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Foreign Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed by his Department.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information requested on  (a) EU foreign national and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals employed by the Department for Work and Pensions is not available and to obtain it would involve disproportionate cost.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) original expected cost,  (b) original expected delivery date,  (c) actual cost incurred and  (d) actual delivery date was of each ICT project undertaken and completed by his Department in each year since 1997; who the contractors for each project were; what the (i) initial estimated and (ii) outturn payment to each contractor was; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was created in June 2001. Prior to that, the provision of detailed project information was the responsibility of different departments and agencies.
	Although the DWP does not have any discrete IT projects, it has a number of projects and programmers that include changes to, or new enabling, IT to a greater or lesser extent.
	At present the Department has over 200 change projects, a number of which have an IT element which is critical to the success of the project. The number of projects in train at any one time will vary and the duration of the project lifecycle is usually more than one calendar year.
	Information on projects that completed more than 4 years ago could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The information requested in relation to contractor payments is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The following table shows:
	Completed projects where the IT element supported the development and/or implementation of services that underpin the delivery of departmental business;
	the original expected and actual investment costs of these projects;
	the original expected delivery date and the actual delivery date where appropriate;
	the main IT contractors involved in delivering the project.
	
		
			  Table 1: completed projects 
			  Project  Original expected costs (i) (£ million rounded)  Actual costs of project (ii)  (£ million rounded)  Original expected delivery date (iii)  Actual deliver/date (iv)  Main IT contractors (v) 
			 Pensions Forecasting 72 75 April 2003 July 2005 Accord and Affinity (EDS consortium) 
			   
			 WATCh 2 56 52 October 2006 October 2006 IBM and EDS 
			   
			 State Pension Deferral Project 7 6 April 2006 April 2006 Accenture 
			   
			 Real Time Pensions Forecasts(RTPF)— Strategic Alignment 1 1 February 2007 May 2007 Accenture and EDS 
			   
			 Resource Management 96 207 April 2005 April 2007 Oracle, Fujitsu and EDS 
			 Customer Management System(previously known as Working Age Services Modernisation Project (WASMP) 252 268 April 2008 April 2008 IBM and EDS 
			   
			 HR IS/IT Programme 63 52 March 2006 March 2006 EDS 
			   
			 Centralisation of Benefit Processing 140 118 March 2008 March 2008 BT and EDS 
			   
			 Provider-Led Pathways to Work 17 10 April 2008 April 2008 EDS 
			   
			 DWPIT Transformation Programme (inc TREDSS & ICONS) 169 155 July 2008 December 2008 BT and EDS 
			   
			 Fraud Referrals and Interventions Management System 12 30 October 2007 June 2008 IBM and EDS

Departmental Pay

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy that temporary and permanent employees of his Department employed at the same grade receive the same hourly rate of pay.

Jonathan R Shaw: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 27W.

Departmental Pensions

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to advise staff of pension options available to them in relation to added years or additional voluntary contributions.

Jonathan R Shaw: Members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme receive an annual benefit statement showing the pension built up to date, and also a projection of their pension on retirement if they continue in service to scheme pension age. The benefit statement prompts the member to consider boosting their pension and provides details of the civil service pensions website where staff can obtain further information, including options for making additional voluntary contributions and a calculator to work out costs for added pension (previously added years).
	New entrants are informed of pension options in the employment offer and are provided with a pension information pack.
	Cabinet Office provides leaflets that explain added pension and additional voluntary contributions for members. The information is also available in scheme booklets. These are available on the civil service pensions website or on request from the member's pensions administrator.
	The Department for Work and Pensions regularly communicates with its staff about Civil Service Pension Schemes via the DWP Intranet.

Departmental Pilot Schemes

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of people participating in each  (a) pilot programme run by his Department and  (b) pathfinder area programme in (i) each of the last two years and (ii) each of the next five years.

Tony McNulty: The activities of the Department for Work and Pensions cover a very wide range of programmes and services. Pilots and pathfinders are a normal part of departmental business. The information requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Appointments

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which of the public appointments for which his Department is responsible are due to be  (a) renewed and  (b) filled in the next 24 months; what the (i) remit, (ii) salary, (iii) political restriction, (iv) eligibility requirement and (v) timetable for each appointment is; and what records his Department keeps in respect of such appointments.

Jonathan R Shaw: Information on appointments made by the Department is published in the Annual Appointments Plan which can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/ndpb/public_bodies.asp
	More detailed information about individual appointments is set out in the relevant body's Annual Report which is also available through this link.
	Vacancies may be advertised on the Cabinet Office Public Appointments website at:
	www.publicappointments.gov.uk
	The process for making a public appointment, including guidance on political activity and eligibility criteria, follows the Cabinet Office publication "Making and Managing Public Appointments". For appointments regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the appointments process also complies with the "Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies". Copies are in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much capital expenditure has been brought forward in response to the economic downturn by his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies to  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11; from which years such expenditure has been brought forward; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department has not brought forward any capital expenditure.

Departmental Telephone Services

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the percentage of telephone calls to his Department's helplines which were answered at the latest period for which information is available.

Jonathan R Shaw: The latest available figures for the percentage of calls answered by DWP's businesses relate to the quarter October to December 2008 and are as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 Jobcentre Plus 93.0 
			 Pension Disability and Carers Service 93.4 
			 Debt Management 93.0 
		
	
	The figures represent the percentage of calls answered as a proportion of total calls offered to DWP network or centre. Total calls answered will include those answered by agents/advisers and voice recognition/auto attendant if applicable.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent by his Department on  (a) agency and  (b) temporary staff in each financial year since 2005-06.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department for Work and Pensions utilises both staff employed by agencies and temporary staff employed direct on a casual basis; these costs are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Agency staff  Temporary staff  Total 
			 2005-06 46 32 78 
			 2006-07 43 29 72 
			 2007-08 41 19 60

Departmental Training

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on digital media training courses provided by the Internet Advertising Bureau in 2008; how many such training sessions were held in 2008; and how many staff in his Department attended at least one such training course.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department does not hold records on the information requested centrally; individual business units retain records locally and as such this information could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Disability Living Allowance: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in West Chelmsford constituency claimed the higher rate care component of disability living allowance in 2007-08.

Jonathan R Shaw: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Disability living allowance higher rate care component—cases in payment in West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency 
			   Number 
			 May 2007 710 
			 August 2007 710 
			 November 2007 730 
			 February 2008 720 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Figures show the number of people in receipt of an allowance and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital 3. These figures are published on the DWP website at: www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp  Source: DWP Information Directorate: work and pensions longitudinal study.

Disability Living Allowance: Sight Impaired

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of visually impaired people who would be classified as having no useful sight for orientation purposes who are not in receipt of disability living allowance higher rate mobility component; what the eligibility criteria for this group are; and how much he estimates it would cost to change the rules so that this group received the component.

Jonathan R Shaw: There is no accepted definition of "no useful sight for orientation purposes". However, during helpful discussions with the RNIB they have suggested that this could be interpreted as meaning that a visually impaired person would have: no perception of light; perception of light only; perception of hand movement; or a visual acuity of 3/60(1) and either "total" or "extensive" loss of visual field. Using these definitions of visual impairment we estimate that, if implemented in 2010-11, we would require additional annual benefit expenditure of around £45 million to extend the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance to this group.
	(1 )This means that a person with 3/60 can see at three metres an object which a person with normal vision can see at 60 metres.

Disabled: Children

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward proposals to increase the financial support for mentally and physically disabled children given up for adoption by their parents.

Jonathan R Shaw: We keep the level of all benefits constantly under review. In addition, in the White Paper "Raising Expectations and Increasing Support: Reforming Welfare for the Future" we accepted that there is a need to look closely at the challenges that the current system of benefits presents to carers. We remain committed to looking at carers' benefits in the context of our wider ambitions for the welfare state and to ensuring that the needs of carers are central to the future reform of the benefit system.

Discrimination: Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what procedures are available to individuals to lodge complaints against  (a) a public body and  (b) a private organisation in relation to failure to comply with disability discrimination legislation; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: There is a range of procedures available to individuals who wish to pursue complaints where they consider that an organisation has failed to meet its duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). There is no distinction between the arrangements for complaints brought against private organisations and those brought against public bodies.
	An individual who wishes to bring a complaint that an organisation has failed in its duties under the DDA may do so by informal means, such as a direct approach to the organisation, the questions procedure, or conciliation.
	The Act provides for formal enforcement through civil proceedings. Where the complainant wishes to bring legal proceedings against the organisation, different legal processes apply according to the nature of the complaint.
	For complaints concerning employment and vocational training an application may be made to an employment tribunal.
	For complaints concerning post-16 education, access to goods, services, facilities and premises, private clubs, and the functions of public bodies, the complainant may bring legal proceedings in a county court in England and Wales, or in a sheriff court in Scotland. In respect of post-16 education in Scotland the claim must be served on the education service provider.
	For complaints involving education in schools in England, claims of unlawful discrimination may be made to the 1st Tier Tribunals (formerly Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal), and for Wales to the Special Education Needs Tribunal for Wales. The 1st Tier Tribunal in England will also hear appeals on grounds of disability discrimination in relation to fixed-period (temporary) exclusions from all schools and also, admissions to, and permanent exclusions from, all schools other than maintained schools and academies. Appeals on grounds of disability discrimination in respect of a refusal to admit to, and permanent exclusions from, maintained schools and academies are heard by admissions appeals panels or independent appeals panels. Appeals are dealt with in a similar way in Wales. In Scotland, complaints involving education in schools are dealt with in the sheriff court.
	Individuals may also instigate judicial review proceedings against a public authority if they believe it has failed to pay due regard to the disability equality duty.
	The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has powers of enforcement in respect of the provisions in the DDA that cover discriminatory job advertisements; instructions and pressure to discriminate in employment and vocational training; and the disability equality duty. An individual may raise their concerns about these issues with the EHRC, but it is for the Commission to determine whether enforcement action should be taken.

Discrimination: Mentally Ill

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to increase public funding aimed at reducing levels of discrimination on grounds of mental health.

Jonathan R Shaw: We are committed to ending disability discrimination, including on the grounds of mental health, and are targeting resources in a number of areas to ensure that disabled people have the opportunity to benefit from the positive impact on health and well-being that work can bring.
	Through the "Employ ability" programme, we are engaging with employers to improve their understanding of disability and their attitudes towards employing disabled people. Employ ability activity is aimed at small to medium-sized employers and is being rolled out to Scotland, Wales and seven English regions between 24 March 2008 and 27 February 2009. The Government have committed £4 million to the campaign.
	Access to Work helps around 24,000 disabled people take up or stay in work annually by helping to fund specialist equipment, such as writing support software, reading rulers or a Job Coach who can work with the customer to help them develop strategies for organising their work. The Access to Work budget has been increased from £15 million in 1994-95 to £69 million in 2008-09. In the White Paper, "Raising Expectations and Increasing Support", we made a commitment to double the budget for Access to Work. This will be a major expansion of the support we can offer to disabled people to help them get and sustain employment. We estimate that this could potentially double the number of people helped annually by 2013-14.
	The Government's response to Dame Carol Black's review of the health of Britain's working age population set out our plans to launch a range of initiatives to improve working age health and well-being, including mental health. These include the development of the first ever cross-Government National Mental Health and Employment Strategy which will bring employment and health services closer together, support employers and health care professionals and tackle issues such as discrimination and stigma.
	We have also improved and strengthened the Disability Discrimination Act to provide disabled people with a full and comprehensive set of enforceable rights in all areas of life, including in employment. The Disability Discrimination Act provides protection from disability discrimination for anyone who meets the Act's definition of a disabled person. A person with a mental health condition will therefore be covered by the provisions of the Act if the effect of their impairment meets the various elements of the definition.

Economic Situation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions his Department has had with outside organisations to discuss policy on reducing the effect of the recession on matters within his Department's responsibility.

Jonathan R Shaw: The global economic downturn has far-reaching consequences and requires a co-ordinated response from across Government and businesses. We have been working hard to promote closer working between employers and Jobcentre Plus. On 12 January, for example, we hosted an Employment Summit, bringing together around 120 employers, representative groups and training providers to discuss how businesses can play their part in the response to rising unemployment. The total cost of the event was £162,076.18.
	Building on this, the Secretary of State jointly hosted the first meeting of the National Employment Partnership on 11 February. This event was attended by 22 key employers from across a number of sectors to discuss the implementation of the Government's new package of support for those who are still unemployed six months into a jobseeker's allowance claim, and to discuss the role and importance of Local Employment Partnerships.
	In addition to these events, Ministers and senior officials continue to meet with outside organisations on a regular basis to discuss specific issues arising from the recession across the whole spectrum of the Department's work.

Employment

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what recent steps the Government has taken to assist the long-term unemployed gain employment;
	(2)  what recent steps the Government has taken to help people returning to work.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 3 February 2009
	 The Government are doing everything they can to help those who become unemployed back into work as quickly as possible. We recognise that extra support is needed during the downturn, and a range of new help is being made available to jobseekers.
	We are investing an extra £1.3 billion to ensure that through Jobcentre Plus we can continue to provide personal help and advice to everyone who needs it—help in finding a job, filling in job applications and writing a CV plus advice on re-training and acquiring new skills.
	From April 2009 we will also be investing a further £0.5 billion to guarantee more support to every person still looking for work after six months by making a range of additional options available including providing up to £2,500 for employers who recruit and train people unemployed for over six months; money and support to set up their own business; training to improve skills to get a job; and the opportunity to volunteer where this will help a person move towards work.
	And we are pressing ahead with our welfare reforms from this year that will increase support for unemployed people as their claim to benefit continues. We are creating a new contract for jobseekers, promising help with skills and with employability.

Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many vacancies were advertised by jobcentres in the  (a) fourth quarter of 2008,  (b) third quarter of 2008,  (c) fourth quarter of 2007 and  (d) fourth quarter of 2006.

Tony McNulty: The available information is in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of Vacancies advertised in Job centres: Great Britain 
			  Quarter ending  Vacancies 
			 October 2006 397,652 
			 November 2006 347,079 
			 December 2006 308,414 
			 October 2007 504,290 
			 November 2007 469,282 
			 December 2007 394,904 
			 July 2008 353,493 
			 August 2008 348,451 
			 September 2008 373,922 
			 October 2008 383,331 
			 November 2008 343,274 
			 December 2008 271,011 
			  Notes: 1. These are not whole economy figures. Coverage relates just to vacancies notified to Jobcentre Plus and as such represents a market share of vacancies throughout the whole economy. This proportion varies over time, according to the occupation of the vacancy and industry of the employer, and by local area. 2. These figures are of stocks of unfilled vacancies which reflect more accurately job opportunities available via Jobcentre Plus. In the case of unfilled vacancies, use of the figures on live vacancies is recommended (i.e. excluding suspended vacancies), and this is the default option. Live vacancies may still include some vacancies which have already been filled or are otherwise no longer open to recruits, due to natural lags in procedures for following up vacancies with employers. 3. Comprehensive estimates of all job vacancies (not just those notified to Jobcentre Plus) are available from the monthly ONS Vacancy Survey since April 2001, based on a sample of some 6,000 enterprises. However, the ONS survey is currently designed to provide national estimates only. 4. Interpretation of these data needs to take account of changes in recent years to Jobcentre Plus procedures for taking and handling vacancies. These figures are not fully comparable over time and may not indicate developments in the labour market. A more detailed explanation is available on the nomis website. 5. Data labelled as "Month X" predominantly relate to the previous month. The release calendar gives details of the monthly release dates and the periods covered. For example, January 2009 relates to the period (6 December 2008- 2 January 2009). 6. Reporting months relate to either a four week or five week period depending on count dates. Users should be cautious about comparing monthly flows and may wish to standardise the figures. For example the January 2009 period is a four week period whereas February 2009 is a five week period. 7. Vacancy data are collected by month and quarterly data are not available. It is not possible to sum up each month in the quarter as this would lead to some job vacancies being counted twice.  Source:  Jobcentre Plus Labour Market System

Employment Schemes

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the personalised employment programme pilots are part of  (a) the progression to work pathfinders and  (b) the invest to save pathfinders.

Tony McNulty: The Personalised Employment Programme pilots will test a single, integrated, flexible employment programme for jobseeker's allowance claimants, new employment and support allowance claimants and parents with younger children. These pilots are designed primarily to test a new delivery model for contracted out employment support across multiple client groups.
	We intend that the Progression to Work pathfinders will be separate from personalised employment programme pilots. However, we will apply the same broad conditionality framework for the Progression to Work group in the pilots as we plan to use in the pathfinders.
	The invest to save pathfinders will be separate from the Personalised Employment Programme pilots in order that we can properly evaluate the impacts of the different delivery and funding models.

Employment Schemes

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of  (a) lone parents and  (b) partners of existing benefit claimants will participate in progression to work pathfinders.

Tony McNulty: The 'Progression to Work' pathfinders will, subject to the passage of legislation, cover approximately 10 per cent. of lone parents on income support with children aged one to six. This equates to approximately 60,000 lone parents falling into the Progression to Work group each year, based on current volumes.
	Subject to the passage of legislation, the 'Progression to Work' pathfinders will cover approximately 10 per cent. of partners of benefit recipients with children aged one to six. Based on current volumes, this equates to approximately 10,000 partners of benefit claimants falling in the Progression to Work group each year.

Employment Schemes

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals claimed travel expenses for journeys to and from  (a) work-focussed interviews and  (b) meetings with personal advisers at Jobcentre Plus offices in each of the last 60 months; how much on average was claimed by each individual; and how much was claimed for such expenses in each month.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 12 February 2009
	The information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Employment Services: Down's Syndrome

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to help people with Down's syndrome into work.

Jonathan R Shaw: We have significantly improved and strengthened the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, so that it now provides a comprehensive set of enforceable rights for disabled people, including those with Down's syndrome.
	We also operate a number of different schemes that disabled people can access in order to help them find work.
	Remploy offers support to disabled people with job search facilities and includes one-to-one advice and guidance. Remploy can also set up individually designed development plans, as well as offering in-work support and access to a range of local employment opportunities. Remploy has a proven track record of finding jobs for disabled people.
	Jobcentre Plus is committed to supporting disabled people, including those with Down's syndrome, to find suitable, sustainable employment in their local area. It does this through its personal advisers, including Disability Employment Advisers.
	Jobcentre Plus works with a range of providers from the private, public and voluntary sectors to provide specialist disability programmes to help disabled people to overcome the labour market barriers they may face, these include Work Preparation, WORKSTEP (a programme of supported employment), New Deal for Disabled People, Residential Training and the Job Introduction Scheme. Disability Employment Advisers have access to work psychologists to assist them in supporting customers if appropriate.
	Disability Employment Advisers are also able to facilitate disabled people's applications to Access to Work, which can assist an individual who already has a job or has a job to start. Access to Work can provide practical advice and support to the disabled person and their employer to help them overcome work related obstacles resulting from disability. All Access to Work support is tailored to the individual's needs.
	The Government have also set up the "Employ ability" programme, in which we are currently engaging with employers to improve their understanding of disability and their attitudes towards employing disabled people, with long-term health conditions. "Employ ability" is aimed at small to medium-sized employers and is being rolled out to Scotland, Wales and seven regions between 24 March 2008 and 27 February 2009.

Employment Services: General Practitioners

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2008,  Official Report, column 615W, on employment services: general practitioners, 
	(1)  what the location is of each GP surgery in which an employment adviser is placed;
	(2)  how many Jobcentre advisers have been placed in GP surgeries in each financial year since the programme started;
	(3)  what future projections his Department has made for  (a) expenditure on and  (b) the number of Jobcentre employment advisers in GP surgeries;
	(4)  how much has been spent on placing Jobcentre advisers in GP surgeries in each financial year since the programme started.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 19 January 2009
	Information about surgery locations in the original pilot and expansion is in the following table. In addition, advisers provide services in approximately 70 GPs surgeries in Scotland. Information about the towns where the surgeries are located is also provided.
	In the original five pilot sites the project was funded for one full time adviser. The current projection for expenditure is £309,996 per year per district. This includes staff costs, training and set up costs for the surgery which will include a risk assessment. The number of advisers will remain at one full-time post per district. Occasionally a district will split the post to two part-time posts. The projected total is therefore 15 to 17 advisers. The original pilot had five to seven advisers.
	The original five pilot sites were funded from Pathways to Work programme money with £1.5 million for three years. However, individual sites added funding from a variety of sources to boost provision for the Pathways Advisory Service. For the expansion no significant spend has taken place as the districts are currently working to set up the project. It is expected each district will keep within the projected £309,996 figure.
	
		
			  Pathways Advisory Service surgery locations 
			  District   GP Practice 
			 Stoke on Trent Longton Willow Bank Health Centre 
			  Longton Single practitioner 
			  Longton Single practitioner 
			
			 Cumbria Barrow-in-Furness Atkinson Health Centre 
			  Barrow-in-Furness Bridgegate Medical Centre 
			  Barrow-in-Furness Duke Street Surgery 
			  Barrow-in-Furness Norwood Medical Practice 
			  Barrow-in-Furness Risedale Surgery 
			
			 Lancashire Accrington Richmond Medical Centre 
			  Burnley Ruskin Health Centre 
			  Burnley Rosehill Surgery 
			  Burnley Kiddrow Lane Health Centre 
			  Burnley St Nicholas Group Practice 
			  Burnley Yorkshire Street Medical Centre 
			  Nelson Whitefield Health Care 
			
			 South Wales Valleys Ponypridd Ynysangharad Surgery 
			  Abertillery Abernant Surgery 
			  Treorchy Forest View 
			  Aberdare St. Johns Surgery 
			
			 Swansea Pontardawe Pontardawe Health Centre 
			
			 Tyne and Wear South Shields Flagg Court Health Centre 
			
			 Manchester Salford Ganvier Centre 
			  Salford Little Hulton Practice 
			  Salford Willow Tree Healthy Living Centre 
			  Salford The Surgery 
			  Salford Sorrel Bank Medical Practice 
			
			 Tees Valley Norton Norton Medical Centre 
			  Middlesbrough Park Surgery 
			  Hartlepool McKenzie Practice 
			  Darlington Orchard Practice 
			
			 Somerset and Dorset Cheddar Cheddar MC 
			  Bridgwater Redgate MC 
			  Bridgwater Victoria Park MC 
			  Bridgwater East Quay MC 
			  Bridgwater Somerset Bridge MC 
			  Bridgwater Glastonbury MC 
			  Weymouth Royal Crescent Surgery 
			  Dorchester Broadmayne Surgery 
			  Boscombe Boscombe Surgery 
			
			
			 Highlands Islands, Clyde Coast and Grampian Paisley Northcroft Glenburn 
			  Barhead Levern Medical Centre 
			  Johnstone Linden 
			   Linwood 
			  Renfrew Renfrew Health Centre 
			  Aberdeen Carden Medical Centre 
			   Ferryhill Medical Practice 
			   Garthdee Medical Group 
			   Holburn Medical Group 
			   Rubslow Place Medical Group 
			   Marywell Health Centre 
			   Torry Medical Practice 
			   Elmbank Group 
			   Northfield/Mastrick Medical Practice 
			   Victoria Street Medical Practice 
			   Westburn Medical Group 
			   Woodside Medical Group 
			   Hamilton Medical Group 
			   Links Medical Practice 
			   Old Aberdeen Medical Practice 
			   Oldmachar Medical Practice 
		
	
	 Towns in Scotland with advisers in GPs surgeries
	Aberdeen
	Airdrie
	Ayr
	Blantyre
	Coatbridge
	Cumbernauld
	Cummnock
	Dalmellington
	Dumfries
	Dundee
	Edinburgh
	Galston
	Girvan
	Glasgow
	Greenock
	Irvine
	Moffat
	Paisley
	Patna
	Portland, Kilmarnock
	Rutherglen
	Stranraer.
	For Scotland, information about the number of whole time equivalent advisers who have worked in GPs surgeries is in the following table. Funding for the project is not ring-fenced but comes from outreach work budgets. Therefore, associated costs such as risk assessment will be part of this spend and mirror the costs incurred for the main project. The cost of the personal advisers is met from general Jobcentre Plus staff cost budgets. It is planned to continue to provide the equivalent of nine full-time advisers for the foreseeable future.
	
		
			  Whole - time equivalent number of advisers which have worked in GPs surgeries in each of the following years in Scotland 
			   Number 
			 2008 8 
			 2009 9

Employment: Coastal Areas

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of levels of under-employment in English coastal towns.

Tony McNulty: The Department has made no assessment of under-employment in seaside towns.

Employment: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job vacancies were notified to Jobcentre Plus in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008.

Tony McNulty: The information is in the following table:
	
		
			  As at December each year  Hemel Hempstead  Hertfordshire 
			 2006 7,718 53,791 
			 2007 8,811 66,075 
			 2008 9,777 67,030 
			  Notes: 1. These are not whole economy figures. Coverage relates just to vacancies notified to Jobcentre Plus and as such represent a market share of vacancies throughout the whole economy. This proportion varies over time, according to the occupation of the vacancy and industry of the employer, and by local area. 2. Notified vacancies include any speculative placings recorded by Jobcentre Plus. Datasets from May 2006 may reflect substantially reduced levels of speculative placings as part of the notified series. Consequently, care should be taken in interpreting time-series data. 3. Data are unrounded. 4. Comprehensive estimates of all job vacancies (not just those notified to Jobcentre Plus) are available from the monthly ONS Vacancy Survey since April 2001, based on a sample of some 6,000 enterprises. However, the ONS survey is currently designed to provide national estimates only. 5. Interpretation of these data needs to take account of changes in recent years to Jobcentre Plus procedures for taking and handling vacancies. These figures are not fully comparable over time and may not indicate developments in the labour market. A more detailed explanation is available on the NOMIS website: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp  Source: Jobcentre Plus Labour Market System.

Employment: North East

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many vacancies for positions within the Jobcentre Plus network have been advertised in each of the last 12 months in the North East; and what proportion of those were advertised in local newspapers.

Tony McNulty: The. administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many vacancies for positions within the Jobcentre Plus network have been advertised in each of the last 12 months in the North East and what proportion of those were advertised in local newspapers. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The table below gives the total number of vacancies in the North East Region of Jobcentre Plus, and the number and proportion of these that are externally advertised through a variety of routes. We are not able to identify which specific vacancies were advertised in local newspapers. However, external vacancies were advertised by grouping these into 16 separate recruitment exercises and of these, 12 recruitment exercises advertised vacancies through the local press.
	
		
			  Month  Total vacancies  Vacancies grouped into external adverts  Proportion of total vacancies advertised externally (percentage) 
			  2008
			 February 31 30 97 
			 March 58 40 69 
			 April 23 20 87 
			 May 42 20 48 
			 June 13 0 0 
			 July 19 0 0 
			 August 108 88 81 
			 September 53 50 94 
			 October 3 0 0 
			 November 9 0 0 
			 December 153 110 72 
			 
			  2009
			 January 233 210 90

Employment: Wimbledon

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job vacancies were notified to the Jobcentre Plus branch which serves residents of Wimbledon constituency in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007 and  (c) 2008.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 12 February 2009
	The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of notified vacancies in Wimbledon parliamentary constituency in 2006-08 
			   Number 
			 2006 4,463 
			 2007 4,667 
			 2008 4,903 
			  Notes: 1. Changes to Jobcentre Plus vacancy handling procedures have lead to a major discontinuity in the vacancy statistics pre and post May 2006. See  http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/articles/177.aspx#may06 before comparing data over this period. Interpretation of this data needs to take account of changes in recent years to Jobcentre Plus procedures for taking and handling vacancies. 2. These figures are not fully comparable over time and may not indicate developments in the labour market. A more detailed explanation is available on the nomis website. 3. These are not whole economy figures. Coverage relates just to vacancies notified to Jobcentre Plus and as such represent a market share of vacancies throughout the whole economy. This proportion varies over time, according to the occupation of the vacancy and industry of the employer, and by local area. Jobcentre Plus Labour Market System. 4. Notified vacancies include any speculative placings recorded by Jobcentre Plus. Datasets from May 2006 may reflect substantially reduced levels of speculative placings as part of the notified series. Consequently, care should be taken in interpreting time-series data of the notified series. 5. Comprehensive estimates of all job vacancies (not just those notified to Jobcentre Plus) are available from the monthly Office for National Statistics Vacancy Survey since April 2001, based on a sample of some 6,000 enterprises. However, the Office for National Statistics survey is currently designed to provide national estimates only.  Source: Jobcentre Plus Labour Market System.

Fines

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what administrative financial penalties may be levied by his Department and its agencies.

Jonathan R Shaw: DWP and local authorities offer administrative penalties as an alternative to prosecution for benefit fraud. The amount of the administrative penalty is set in legislation (Section 115A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992) as 30 per cent. of the amount of the overpayment.

Health and Safety Executive: Marketing

Jeremy Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of the Health and Safety Executive's Make the Promise campaign was; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The cost of Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) 'Make the promise - Come home safe' farm safety campaign to date is £692,000. This covers development work; advertising in the trade press and online publications; a direct marketing pack to nearly 68,000 farmers; a press and PR campaign.
	Farming is one of the most dangerous ways to make a living in Britain. Agriculture comprises about 1.5 per cent. of the working population but accounts for 15 per cent. to 20 per cent. of fatal incidents each year. This new campaign is part of a wider HSE initiative targeted at reducing the number of work related deaths in farming. The 'Make the promise' campaign has very strong support from the National Farmers' Union and other stakeholders.

Housing Benefit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) calendar days and  (b) working days on average each local authority took to process (i) new housing benefit claims and (ii) housing benefit claims submitted by existing recipients as a result of a change in circumstances in each of the last (A) 12 months and (B) five years.

Kitty Ussher: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central (Jenny Willott) on 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 762W.
	Information is not available in working days or for individual months.

Incapacity Benefit

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was spent on the administration of incapacity benefit in each of the last 10 years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to respond to your question asking how much was spent on the administration of Incapacity Benefit in each of the last 10 years. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus started recording the costs of activities such as Incapacity Benefit processing in 2003/04. The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Incapacity benefit administration costs 
			   £ million 
			 2003-04 100 
			 2004-05 97 
			 2005-06 94 
			 2006-07 95 
			 2007-08 91 
			  Notes:  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest million.  2. Figures are from the Jobcentre Plus Activity Based Information system for 2003-04 and 2004-05. The figures for 2005-06 onwards are from the Jobcentre Plus Activity Based Management System.  3. Figures represent salary costs only for Jobcentre Plus staff undertaking the task of incapacity benefit processing.  4. Various changes to incapacity benefit policy and the centralisation of benefit processing have had an effect on the costs of incapacity benefit processing and administration costs. However, the Activity Based Management system cannot quantify these changes separately.   Source:  Jobcentre Plus Activity Based Information and Activity Based Management systems.

Incapacity Benefit

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of existing incapacity benefit claimants will take part in  (a) a single work-focused interview,  (b) three work-focused interviews and  (c) mandatory work preparation activities in (i) 2009, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2011 and (iv) 2012.

Jonathan R Shaw: h olding answer 9 February 2009
	 From April 2008, all incapacity benefits claimants have been able to access Pathways to Work on a voluntary basis, including work-focused interviews and a range of back-to-work support.
	From late 2009 we plan to start providing three work-focused interviews to existing incapacity benefit claimants under the age of 25 in Jobcentre Plus-led Pathways to Work areas.
	For the majority of existing incapacity benefits customers, the mandatory engagement announced in the White Paper 'Raising expectations and increasing support: reforming welfare for the future' (Cm 7506) will occur once those claimants have been transferred to employment and support allowance between 2010 and 2013. Customers placed in the support group will not be required to undertake any mandatory activities, although they will be able to volunteer for back-to-work support.
	As the exact timing and profile of the transfer of these customers is still being developed, it is not possible to fully answer the question at this point in time.

Industrial Health and Safety: Nuclear Power

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the budget of the Nuclear Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive  (a) was in each of the last five financial years,  (b) is in 2008-09 and  (c) will be in each of the next five financial years;
	(2)  what the budget of  (a) the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate,  (b) the Office for Civil Nuclear Security and  (c) the Health and Safety Executive Nuclear Directorate (i) is for 2008-09 and (ii) was for each of the last five financial years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The budgets for 2008-09 and for each of the last five years are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2008 - 09( 1)  2007 - 08( 2)  2006 - 07  2005 - 06  2004 - 05  2003 - 04 
			 Nuclear Installations Inspectorate 25.389 21.844 19.034 19.203 18.215 (3)n/a 
			 Office for Civil Nuclear Security(4) 2.867 2.481 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Nuclear Directorate(5) 28.256 24.977 19.643 19.881 19.252 19.397 
			 n/a = Not available (1) The figures for 2008-09 are for budgets. (2) The figures for 2007-08 to 2003-04 are for outturns. (3) The figure for 2003-04 for the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate are unavailable other than at disproportionate cost to HSE. (4) The Office for Civil Nuclear Security was transferred to HSE on 1 April 2007 from the then Department for Trade and Industry. (5) Some 97 per cent. of ND's direct costs and overheads are recovered through charges to industry under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 and Health and Safety (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2007. Since 2007-08 this has also included 100 per cent. recovery of the Office for Civil Nuclear Security direct costs and overheads recovered under the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, the Energy Act 2004, the extant security provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (as amended) and, in respect of nuclear material, the Import of Goods (Control) Order 1954. These costs exclude the HSE central service costs. 
		
	
	Nuclear Directorate's (ND) indicative budget for 2009-10 is £36.4 million(1); and for 2010/11, £37 million(1). ND's budget beyond 2010-11 has not yet been set.
	(1)( )ND's indicative budgets for 2009-10 and 2010-11 were revised in January 2009 to reflect the forecast costs of ND's transition to a statutory corporation. The figures will be further revised to reflect the outcome of HSE's pay negotiations with its trades unions.

Industrial Health and Safety: Nuclear Power

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of the budget of  (a) the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate,  (b) the Office for Civil Nuclear Security and  (c) the Health and Safety Executive Nuclear Directorate is allocated to (i) staffing costs and (ii) transport costs.

Jonathan R Shaw: The answer is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Financial year 2007-08( 1)  Nuclear Installations Inspectorate  Office for Civil Nuclear Security  Nuclear Directorate 
			 Staffing costs(2) 76 61 75 
			 Transport costs(3) 6 10 7 
			 (1) The percentages are calculated based on the outturns for the last full financial year, rounded to the nearest whole number. (2) Staffing costs cover permanent staff payroll costs and the cost of staff substitutes such as agency workers. (3) Transport costs cover travel and subsistence, official vehicle hire and detached duty costs both in the UK and internationally.

Industrial Health and Safety: Prosecutions

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many successful prosecutions the Health and Safety Executive brought for breaches of health and safety law by employers that led to an illness believed to be caused or made worse by their current or past work in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: From 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2008, the Health and Safety Executive took the following number of successful prosecution cases against employers for instances of work related ill health:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 5 
			 2005-06 3 
			 2006-07 2 
			 2007-08 3 
		
	
	These prosecutions resulted from action taken following the investigation of cases of reported occupational disease, or where employee work related ill health was identified during other HSE interventions.
	Across the same period, HSE has successfully prosecuted many more employers for failing to control the risks of their work activities to their workers' and others health.

Industrial Health and Safety: Prosecutions

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many successful prosecutions the Health and Safety Executive made for breaches of health and safety law by employers that led to a workplace fatality in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: From 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2008, the Health and Safety Executive took the following number of successful prosecution cases against employers for instances of work related fatalities:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 108 
			 2005-06 79 
			 2006-07 104 
			 2007-08 98

Industrial Health and Safety: Prosecutions

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many successful prosecutions the Health and Safety Executive brought for breaches of health and safety law by employers that led to a workplace injury in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: From 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2008, the Health and Safety Executive took the following number of successful prosecution cases against employers for instances of work related injury:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 380 
			 2005-06 306 
			 2006-07 277 
			 2007-08 274 
		
	
	These figures exclude prosecutions of work-related fatalities.

Industrial Health and Safety: Temperature

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints the Health and Safety Executive received on high temperatures in the workplace in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			   Number of complaints 
			 2004-05 2 
			 2005-06 2 
			 2006-07 2 
			 2007-08 1 
			  Source: The information has been obtained from HSE's operational information system (COIN)

Industrial Health and Safety: Temperature

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions of employers the Health and Safety Executive undertook in cases of failure to manage high temperatures in the workplace in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: From 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2008, the Health and Safety Executive took no prosecutions as a result of employers' failures to manage high temperatures in the workplace.
	Although outside the period specified in the question, legal proceedings have recently been initiated by HSE related to a workplace fatality in 2006-07 in which heat stress was implicated.

Industrial Health and Safety: Temperature

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who have a condition believed to have been caused or exacerbated by exposure to high temperature in their work.

Jonathan R Shaw: There is insufficient evidence to allow a reliable estimate to be made.

Industrial Health and Safety: Temperature

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance the Health and Safety Executive has issued on workplace temperatures  (a) which are not considered reasonable and  (b) at which control measures to manage heat must be put in place.

Jonathan R Shaw: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Rochdale (Paul Rowen) on 21 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1450W.
	The guidance issued by HSE does not specify a maximum workplace temperature at which control measures must be put in place.

Industrial Health and Safety: Temperature

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many workplace injuries where exposure to high temperature was a factor were reported to the Health and Safety Executive during  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Rochdale (Paul Rowen) on 26 January 2009,  Official Report , column 88W.

Industrial Health and Safety: Temperature

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many instances of stress due to exposure to high temperatures in the workplace were reported to the Health and Safety Executive in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: Instances of heat stress, as a medical condition, may be included in injuries reported under the Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 but it is not possible to identify them separately.

Jobcentre Plus: Closures

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the administrative cost of the Jobcentre Plus closure programme was in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what savings were achieved by the Jobcentre Plus closure programme in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what the cost of running the Nairn Jobcentre Plus office was in each of the last five years before it was closed.

Tony McNulty: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking; what the administrative cost of the Jobcentre Plus closure programme was in each of the last five years; what savings were achieved by the Jobcentre Plus closure programme in each of the last five years; and what the cost of running the Nairn Jobcentre Plus office was in each of the last five years before it was closed. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The costs of running the Nairn Jobcentre in 2004/5, the last full year of operation, were approximately £200,000. Costs for earlier years are unavailable. The available information on administrative costs and savings from office closures is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Disposal costs from office closures 
			   £ million 
			 2003-04 0 
			 2004-05 1 
			 2005-06 17 
			 2006-07 24 
			 2007-08 21 
			 Total 63 
			  Note: All figures rounded to the nearest million.  Source:  NAO report February 2008, Jobcentre Plus reports. 
		
	
	
		
			  Savings arising from office closures including any savings arising from new investment to existing estate for modernisation 
			   £ million 
			 2004-05 23 
			 2005-06 34 
			 2006-07 51 
			 2007-08 40 
			 Total 148 
			  Note:  All figures rounded to the nearest million.  Source:  Jobcentre Plus reports for the DWP Office of Government Commerce (OGC) Return.

Jobcentre Plus: Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints Jobcentre Plus have received from customers on the physical inaccessibility of Jobcentre Plus offices and facilities in each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 20 January 2009
	The information is not available.

Jobcentre Plus: Manpower

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria will be used to allocate the additional 2,000 staff at Jobcentre Plus offices proposed in the pre-Budget report; what the timetable for their recruitment is; how many staff have been recruited; how many additional staff will be allocated to the Sutton Jobcentre; whether a Rapid Response manager has been appointed in each district; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what criteria will be used to allocate the additional 2,000 staff at Jobcentre Plus offices proposed in the pre-Budget report; what the timetable for their recruitment is; how many staff have been recruited to date; how many additional staff will be allocated to the Sutton Jobcentre; if a Rapid Response manager has been appointed in each district. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	In October 2008 the Secretary of State announced that Jobcentre Plus would retain 2,000 more staff than originally planned in 2008-09. In November 2008, following the pre-Budget report, the Secretary of State announced that there will be an extra 6,000 staff in place in Jobcentre Plus for the 2009-10 financial year.
	Jobcentre Plus will allocate the additional staff on a proportionate basis between our Jobcentres, Contact Centres and Benefit Delivery Centres. My operational directors will use their judgement and workload information to decide where to deploy the resources.
	Since November we have recruited 2,700 additional staff nationally and plan to recruit at least 1,200 a month until we reach the right level. We have already placed an additional ten staff in Sutton Jobcentre and are in the process of recruiting further staff. The precise number of extra staff who will be placed in Sutton Jobcentre is not yet known.
	I can confirm that each Jobcentre Plus district has a named Rapid Response Manager. When redundancies in local businesses become known, this Manager co-ordinates the Jobcentre response and support. I am pleased to report that since November over 650 employers have accepted help from Jobcentre Plus.

Jobcentre Plus: Sutton

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment his Department has made of the  (a) staffing and  (b) office space capacity of the Jobcentre Plus office at Helena House, Sutton, in connection with increased demand resulting from (i) the economic downturn, (ii) changes to incapacity benefit and (iii) changes to other welfare benefits; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question on what assessment has been made of the need for additional staff and office accommodation at Sutton Jobcentre in connection with increased demand resulting from the economic downturn, changes to incapacity benefit and other welfare benefits. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	We have already placed an additional ten staff in Sutton Jobcentre and are in the process of recruiting further staff. We are currently looking at the possibility of taking on an extra floor at Helena House to give us extra capacity. I am unable to provide a firm timescale at this stage as the space we are seeking is currently occupied by another Government Department. I have asked my District Manager for South London, Chris Nichol, to keep you updated with progress on this and related work to respond to the rise in unemployment in Sutton, and changes to the welfare system.

Jobcentre Plus: Temporary Employment

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the policy of Jobcentre Plus on the employment of temporary staff  (a) up to and  (b) beyond 52 weeks is; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking what is the policy of Jobcentre Plus on the employment of temporary staff up to and beyond 52 weeks. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The Department for Work and Pensions policy, which applies in Jobcentre Plus, is that in normal circumstances we recruit temporary staff for up to 39 weeks. In very exceptional circumstances they can be extended up to a maximum of two years.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many contribution-based claimants of jobseeker's allowance who were entitled to receive an income-based allowance after 182 days experienced a gap in payments before receiving an income-based allowance, in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 9 February 2009
	The information is not available.

Members: Correspondence

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when his Department plans to respond to the letter of 19 September 2008 from the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight on unemployment and the Isle of Wight economy.

Tony McNulty: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 26 January 2009.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  when he expects to reply to the letter of 12 December 2008 from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire on benefits;
	(2)  when the Minister of State plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 12 December 2008, on benefits.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 12 February 2009
	A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 11 February 2009.

National Insurance: Foreigners

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many national insurance number registrations have been granted to  (a) non-UK EU and  (b) non-EU citizens in each quarter since 1 April 2005.

Tony McNulty: The available information is in the following table:
	
		
			  National insurance n umber registrations to adult overseas nationals entering the United Kingdom by quarter of regis tration and EU/Non EU status 
			  Thousand 
			   EU Nationals  Non EU nationals 
			  2005   
			 April to June 80.93 68.91 
			 July to September 95.43 75.81 
			 October to December 90.53 68:09 
			
			  2006   
			 January to March 107.64 75.15 
			 April to June 77.39 56.38 
			 July to September 91.04 60.37 
			 October to December 98.64 65.94 
			
			  2007   
			 January to March 153.18 102.44 
			 April to June 99.41 66.63 
			 July to September 121.38 68.46 
			 October to December 108.29 76.67 
			
			  2008   
			 January to March 110.83 80.93 
			 April to June 100.68 74.65 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten and displayed in thousands. 2. There are a small number of registrations where citizens' nationalities are unknown, these are not included. 3. Registration date is derived from the date at which a national insurance number is entered on the National Insurance Recording System. 4. When presenting the EU time series, countries which joined the EU during the time series have been included in the EU for the whole of the time series, to facilitate comparisons over time. 5. The EU time series excludes national insurance numbers registered to UK nationals. 6. The figures do not include any national insurance numbers that may have been issued to young foreign nationals under Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs juvenile registration scheme.  Source:  100 per cent. extract from National Insurance Recording System This information is taken from a table published on the DWP website at: http://83.244.183.180/mgw/final/final/qtr/world/a_stock_r_qtr_c_world_apr08.html

Natural Gas: Safety

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to raise public awareness of the fact that CORGI is no longer the body responsible for gas safety; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: As part of its contract with HSE, Capita are responsible for promoting and communicating the new Gas Safe Register™ brand to installers and the general public. Capita have a Key Performance Indicator to achieve at least 40 per cent. unprompted brand recognition of the New Gas Safe Register™ among gas consumers by the end of October 2009, rising to 75 per cent. by 2011. HSE also plans to communicate directly with gas installers and through the trade press to make clear that, from 1 April 2009, the Gas Safe Register is the only register approved by HSE for gas work under gas safety law, and that the CORGI register will no longer count for these purposes.

New Deal Schemes

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the letter recently sent by his Department to bidders for Flexible New Deal contracts regarding the Department's revised assumptions for customer volumes; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 9 February 2009
	A letter was issued to shortlisted bidders in the Flexible New Deal competition on 30 January. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.

New Deal Schemes

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what timetable he has set for awarding contracts for providers under the flexible new deal; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 12 February 2009
	 The competition for contracts to deliver Flexible New Deal is under way; 124 bids were submitted and these are being evaluated. The number of people expected to start the programme is likely to increase from the numbers provided to bidders earlier in the competition. DWP believe it prudent to now ask bidders to submit an additional bid.
	This consultation will delay the announcement of preferred bidders. However the Government remains committed to bringing in the Flexible New Deal phase 1 from October 2009.

New Deal Schemes: Per Capita Costs

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on average per claimant on the New Deal for  (a) Young People,  (b) 25 Plus,  (c) 50 Plus,  (d) Disabled People,  (e) Lone Parents,  (f) Partners and  (g) Musicians in each year since each scheme was established; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Available information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Amount spent on average per claimant on the New Deals in each year since each scheme was established 
			  £ 
			   New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 Plus combined  New Deal 50 Plus  New Deal for Disabled People  New Deal for Lone Parents  New Deal for Partners 
			 1997-98 — — — — — 
			 1998-99 816 — — 43 — 
			 1999-2000 1,766 — — 211 — 
			 2000-01 2,034 — — 254 — 
			 2001-02 1,977 — 390 135 — 
			 2002-03 2,064 — 577 217 — 
			 2003-04 2,443 3,967 915 233 — 
			 2004-05 2,534 85 1,239 245 212 
			 2005-06 1,852 40 1,114 259 297 
			 2006-07 1,295 14 1,259 483 271 
			 2007-08 1,433 16 1,453 397 170 
			  Notes:  1. The average cost has been calculated by dividing the total expenditure each year by the number of customers joining the programme within that year. This provides a good approximation, but since the costs for any one individual occur over a period of time (and are not possible to track) the figures will not be exact.  2. Expenditure figures exclude administration costs as they cannot be identified since 2002-03 when 'ring fences' were removed with agreement from HM Treasury.  3. In the case of New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 Plus, the expenditure does include associated Annually Managed Expenditure (weekly training allowance).  4. New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 Plus started in 1998, with phased introduction between January and July. Average expenditure per customer on New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 Plus has reduced year on year since 2005-06 due to changes to New Deal from April 2004 (which included reducing the length of the options period to 13 weeks). The full impact of this change did not take effect until 2005-06.  5. New Deal 50 Plus started in 2000. Performance information is not available until 2003-04. New Deal 50 Plus costs reduce after 2002-03 as the employment credit element of ND50+ (funded by DWP) ceased and was replaced by the 50 plus element of the working tax credit (funded by HMRC). The small residual spend relates to the New Deal 50 Plus Training Grant.  6. New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) started in 2001. Spend prior to this date is for pilots in selected areas. Performance information is not available until 2001-02. Both costs and participant numbers have risen significantly following re-tendering in 2004. As participants can stay on the programme for longer than a year, dividing spend by starts is not really a valid comparison of spend per person. Furthermore, NDDP is no longer a national programme (it only operates in 18 districts) so costings would be further affected since the programme was subsumed by provider led Pathways from December 2007.  7. New Deal for Lone Parents started in 1998. Average expenditure per customer on the New Deal for Lone Parents programme increased from 2006 due to the additional help available by way of in work credit, child care costs and the increased availability of training opportunities.  8. New Deal for Partners started in 1999 and was re-launched in 2004. Performance information is not available until 2004-05.  9. New Deal for Musicians started in 1999. Performance information is not available for the New Deal for Musicians Programme.   Sources:  1. DWP financial systems (numerator).  2. DWP Tabulation Tool (denominator).

Peers Interests

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether Ministers in his Department received representations from  (a) Lord Moonie,  (b) Lord Taylor of Blackburn,  (c) Lord Snape and  (d) Lord Truscott in the last seven months.

Jonathan R Shaw: None of the DWP Ministers received representation from Lord Moonie, Lord Taylor of Blackburn, Lord Snape or Lord Truscott in the last seven months.

Pension Credit: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people resident in West Chelmsford constituency  (a) were entitled to claim and  (b) claimed pension credit in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Estimates of eligibility to pension credit are not available below the level of Great Britain.
	The latest estimates of the take-up rates and the number of those entitled to but not receiving pension credit is published in the report "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2006-07".
	The numbers of claimants in receipt of pension credit in West Chelmsford in each of the last five years are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Claimants of pension credit in West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency 
			  As at May each year  Total claimants 
			 2004 2,890 
			 2005 3,180 
			 2006 3,170 
			 2007 3,210 
			 2008 3,130 
			  Notes: 1. The number of households in receipt are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Pension credit is claimed on a household basis. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.  Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data.

Pension Protection Fund

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have claimed pension payments from the Pension Protection Fund in  (a) the UK,  (b) the North East,  (c) Tees Valley district and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The Pension Protection Fund was set up to up to protect members of eligible defined benefit and hybrid pension schemes when the sponsoring employer experiences a qualifying insolvency event and the scheme cannot afford to pay members' benefits at PPF levels of compensation. Individuals do not need to make a claim to be eligible for PPF compensation.
	The PPF commenced operations in April 2005 and the first schemes transferred to the PPF in December 2006.
	As at 30 November 2007 there were 1,167 members receiving compensation from the PPF, with 6,024 members due to receive compensation in future as it falls due. 10 members receiving compensation and 29 deferred members, resided in the North East of England.
	As at 30 November 2008 there were 7,703 members receiving compensation from the PPF, with 12,942 members due to receive compensation in future as it falls due. 345 members receiving compensation and 518 deferred members, resided in the North East of England.
	A breakdown of the aforementioned figures below regional level is not available.
	While in the PPF assessment period, the process which determines whether a scheme transfers to the PPF, the trustees remain responsible for the running of the scheme with benefits being paid to members at PPF levels when they fall due. As at 30 November 2008 there were 121,300 scheme members, across the UK, in the assessment period.

Pension, Disability and Carers Service: Correspondence

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of inaccurate letters sent out to pensioners by the Pension, Disability and Carers Service in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The requested information is unavailable.

Pensioners: Carer's Premium

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants above state pension age currently receive a premium for being a carer; what the cost to the Exchequer is expected to be over the next 12 months of such payments; if he will estimate the cost of making a payment equal to the current carers premium to the pensioner carers of recipients of attendance allowance or the pensioner recipients of the care component of disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 22 January 2009
	Pension credit ensures a guaranteed minimum income for all people aged 60 and over. People who are entitled to carer's allowance—whether or not carer's allowance is in payment—may benefit from the additional amount for carers in pension credit. The pension credit standard minimum guarantee of £124.05 for single pensioners (£189.35 for couples) is increased by £27.75 where the additional amount for carers is payable—if both members of a couple are entitled to carer's allowance the additional amount is doubled.
	Approximately 240,000 pension credit claimants had an additional amount for carers in May 2008.
	In addition, approximately 20,000 claimants of housing benefit and/or council tax benefit aged 60 or over were in receipt of a carers' premium in May 2004, the latest available data.
	It is estimated that, all else remaining unchanged, the current additional amounts for carers increase the costs of income related benefits by some £300 million in 2009-10.
	Information necessary to estimate the cost of making a payment equal to the current carers premium to the pensioner carers of recipients of attendance allowance or the pensioner recipients of the care component of disability living allowance is not available.
	 Sources:
	Pension Credit claimants: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study
	HB and CTB claimants: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 2004.
	Modelling based on the Policy Simulation Model.

Pensioners: Income

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the percentage of pensioners who fall below  (a) 60 per cent. of contemporary median household income,  (b) 50 per cent. of contemporary median household income and  (c) 60 per cent. of the 1998-99 contemporary median household income top rated in line with (i) prices and (ii) earnings in (A) each constituency in Greater London and (B) England.

Rosie Winterton: Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in "Households Below Average Income 1994-95 to 2006-07".
	Latest figures for the percentage of pensioners in Greater London and England who fall below 60 per cent. of contemporary median household income, 50 per cent. of contemporary median household income and 60 per cent. of the 1998-99 contemporary median household income uprated in line with prices are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Percentage of pensioners falling below various thresholds of median household income, after housing costs, London and England , 2004-05  to  2006- 07 
			   Greater London  England 
			 Below 60 per cent. of contemporary median household income 22 18 
			 Below 50 per cent. of contemporary median household income 12 9 
			 Below 60 per cent. of the 1998-99 median household income uprated in line with prices 12 9 
			 Notes: 1. Three survey year averages are given as robust single year estimates cannot be produced because of small sample sizes.  2. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or "equivalised") for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 3. The figures are based on OECD equalisation factors. 4. Figures are based on survey data and as such are subject to a degree of sampling and non-sampling error. 
		
	
	The data source does not allow us to provide robust numbers for estimates below the level of Government office region. Information on the percentage of pensioners who fall below 60 per cent. of the 1998-99 contemporary median household income uprated in line with earnings is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Pensions: Teachers

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of recipients of pensions under the Teachers' Pension Scheme were receiving incorrect pension payments when the errors in payments to some public service pensioners were discovered.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	Of the estimated 95,000 pensioners referred to in the written ministerial statement made on 16 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 111-12WS, just over 20,000 were members of the Teachers' Pension Scheme. This equates to less than 4 per cent. of pensioners in the scheme.

Post Office Card Account

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many companies submitted bids for the Post Office card account successor contract prior to the cancellation of the tendering process.

Rosie Winterton: Three suppliers submitted bids for the Post Office card account successor contract.

Poverty

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell of 2 February 2009,  Official Report, column 849W, on jobseeker's allowance, if he will estimate the  (a) number and  (b) proportion of households who have someone in work but where the household was in poverty in each of the last five years.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 10 February 2009
	 The information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number and proportion of households who have someone in work and have a household income below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income, 2002-03 to 2006-07, before and after housing costs 
			   Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			   Number (million)  Proportion (percentage)  Number (million)  Proportion (percentage) 
			 2002-03 1.5 9 2.1 13 
			 2003-04 1.5 9 2.0 12 
			 2004-05 1.5 9 2.1 13 
			 2005-06 1.6 10 2.3 14 
			 2006-07 1.6 9 2.3 14 
			  Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income, sourced from the Family Resources Survey. 2. Small changes should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures is single financial years. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication "Households Below Average Income" series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living.  5. For the Households Below Average Income series, incomes have been equivalised using OECD equivalisation factors. 6. Numbers of households have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand households and proportions have been rounded to the nearest percentage.  Source: Households Below Average Income

Poverty

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff Central of 20 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 1406-07W, on poverty, if he will provide the same information for 1998-99.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 10 February 2009
	 The information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number and risk of working age adults who are not in work living in households with incomes less than 60 per cent. of contemporary median household income, before and after housing costs, Great Britain, 1998-99 
			   Number/percentage 
			  Before housing costs  
			 Number (million) 3.2 
			 Proportion (percentage) 35 
			   
			  After housing costs  
			 Number (million) 4.2 
			 Proportion (percentage) 46 
			  Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income, sourced from the Family Resources Survey.  2. Small changes should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures is single financial years. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication "Households Below Average Income" series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living.  5. For the Households Below Average Income series, incomes have been equivalised using OECD equivalisation factors. 6. Numbers of adults have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand adults and proportions have been rounded to the nearest percentage. 7. Adults have been classified as workless if they are unemployed or economically inactive. 8. Adults have been classified as being of working age if they are 64 or below for men or 59 or below for women.  Source: Households Below Average Income 
		
	
	The risk of a working age adult who is working being in a low income household in Great Britain in 1998-99 is much lower at 7 per cent., before housing costs and 10 per cent., after housing costs than for workless working age adults, where the equivalent proportions are 35 per cent. (before housing costs) and 46 per cent. (after housing costs) as shown in the aforementioned table.

Poverty: Children

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to reduce levels of child poverty in  (a) England,  (b) the North East,  (c) the Tees Valley and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency since 1997.

Kitty Ussher: Since 1998-99, 600,000 children have been lifted out of relative poverty and the number of children in absolute poverty has halved from 3.4 to 1.7 million.
	Government measures over the past two years will lift around a further 500,000 children from relative poverty. these include increasing the rate of child benefit and disregarding child benefit in calculating income for housing benefit and council tax benefit from October 2009.
	We have also helped nearly 600,000 lone parents into work through the new deal for lone parents programme. As two-fifths of children in poverty live in lone parent families, new deal for lone parents is invaluable in contributing to the target of abolishing child poverty.
	A number of pilot schemes will be introduced shortly to trial innovative initiatives to reduce child poverty. The Work-Focused Services in Children's Centres initiative will pilot in Redcar and Cleveland, with other child poverty pilots to be trialled in other local authorities within the north-east region.
	Legislation, planned for this session, will ensure all levels of Government play their part in meeting our target to eradicate child poverty by 2020.

Rail Warrants

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on rail warrants for customers to attend appointments required by the Department in the last year for which figures are available; and how many rail warrants were issued in this period.

Tony McNulty: The information is not available.

Rapid Response Service

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what qualifications would make a person over-qualified and therefore not eligible for Government-funded re-training as part of the Rapid Response Service; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what qualifications are available from Government-funded re-training offered by the Rapid Response Service; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what guidance is available to Jobcentre Plus district managers to help them decide when a significant redundancy which warrants the use of the Rapid Response Service has taken place; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 3 February 2009
	The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking what qualifications would make a person over qualified and therefore not eligible for Government-funded re-training as part of the Rapid Response Service; what qualifications are available from Government-funded re-training offered by the Rapid Response Service; and what guidance is available to Jobcentre Plus District Managers to help them decide when a significant redundancy which warrants the use of the Rapid Response Service has taken place. These are issues that fall within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The Rapid Response Service is available to all employers Jobcentre Plus identify as being in the process of making redundancies. We will contact every employer who meets their statutory requirement to notify the Insolvency Service when making 20 or more people redundant. In addition we will offer support to any other employers we identify as making redundancies where, based on their knowledge of the local labour market, the District Manager determines that the cumulative impact of redundancies justifies using the Rapid Response Service.
	If the employer accepts our offer of support, we give help and advice on claiming benefits and jobsearch to those people faced with redundancy. As part of the support package, where the type of work being lost is not readily available in the labour market, a Skills Transfer Analysis is offered to all those affected.
	The Skills Transfer Analysis compares the skills the person has with those required to find work in the labour market in which they are looking for work. Where skill gaps are identified Job Focused Training is sourced to fill the gaps and help people quickly fill the skills gaps. A person cannot be over qualified for Job Focused Training, provided the Skills Transfer Analysis identifies that there is a need for the training.
	The prime purpose of the Job Focused Training is to help the person gain the necessary skills to find work quickly. There is no expectation that this training will lead directly to a qualification.

Rapid Response Service

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the take-up of the Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response services by employers contemplating redundancies.

Tony McNulty: Jobcentre Plus offer support to employers when they receive formal notification of 20, or more, potential redundancies from Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform or when they are made aware through other means. Since the announcement of the expansion of the Rapid Response Service in November 2008, over 650 employers have accepted the offer of support.
	The Rapid Response Service is a voluntary service. Employers are free to take it up or make their own arrangements to help their redundant staff.

Rented Housing: Essex

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much and what proportion of private rented accommodation in  (a) Southend-on-Sea local authority area,  (b) Essex county council area and  (c) Southend West constituency is available for rent at or below the median rent established by the Rent Service for the relevant rental market area; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave on 16 July 2008,  Official Report, column 469W.

Social Security Benefits

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to enable Jobcentre Plus customers to receive emergency assistance in addition to provision available under the Social Fund.

Kitty Ussher: In terms of emergency assistance, the social fund provides financial support to vulnerable people in times of genuine need through crisis loans. This type of assistance has first call on the social fund loans budget and all crisis loan applicants who satisfy the eligibility conditions are given an award. Gross expenditure on crisis loans in Great Britain has increased by 31 per cent. between January and December 2007 and January to December 2008.
	From January to December 2008, around 45 per cent. of crisis loan awards in Great Britain were made to people representing hardship before their first benefit payment. The current legal provisions do not specify that an advance payment of benefit can be made in such circumstances. The current Welfare Reform Bill contains powers that will address this point, allowing the consideration of advance payments for this group of people. This will reduce the need for such crisis loans.

Social Security Benefits

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will reduce the rate of national interest on savings taken into account when assessing a person's entitlement to means-tested benefits.

Tony McNulty: The first £6,000 of capital/savings (£10,000 for those in care homes) is fully disregarded in the income related benefits:
	Income support;
	Jobseeker's allowance (income-based);
	Pension credit;
	Housing benefit; and
	Council tax benefit.
	The formula for calculating the amount of income that can be generated from capital/savings above £6,000 in the income related benefits, known as tariff income, is not intended to represent any rate of return that could be obtained from investing capital. It provides a simple method of calculating the weekly contribution that people with capital in excess of the level of the disregard are expected to make from their resources to help meet their normal living costs.
	As there is no link with actual market rates, the tariff income rates within the income-related benefits remain unaltered regardless of whether interest rates rise or fall.
	The tariff income levels are kept under continual review but they can be increased only when priorities and resources allow.

Social Security Benefits: Control Orders

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 275W, on control orders, 
	(1)  how many individuals subject to control orders are in receipt of benefits administered by his Department;
	(2)  how much his Department has spent on  (a) incapacity benefit,  (b) jobseeker's allowance,  (c) disability living allowance and  (d) income support in order to assist individuals who are subject to control orders in each year since 2005.

Tony McNulty: The Home Secretary's last quarterly written ministerial statement on control orders, covering the period 11 September to 10 December 2008, was published on 15 December 2008. The figures provided in this report are the latest published figures on control orders. These show that on 10 December 2008 there were nine individuals whom the Home Office cited as being subject to a control order who were in receipt of Department for Work and Pensions administered benefits. Seven individuals were in receipt of jobseeker's allowance only; one was in receipt of incapacity benefit and income support; and one was in receipt of incapacity benefit, income support and disability living allowance.
	The requested information on expenditure is not available other than at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Dual Nationality

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what account his Department took of the situation of UK citizens with dual nationality when it decided to require a passport as proof of identity for the purpose of access to services it provides.

Tony McNulty: The Department for Work and Pensions follows a robust process to verify an individual's identity prior to providing access to benefits.
	The Department accepts passports, including those passports held by citizens with dual nationalities, as well as birth certificates and a range of other supporting identity documentary evidence when assuring a person's identity.

Social Security Benefits: Inverness Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of each type of benefit there were in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency in each of the last 60 months.

Tony McNulty: Constituency information is not available prior to 2005. The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Working age and pensioner client groups, by statistical group in the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency, as at May each year 
			   2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 All 25,590 25,720 25,940 26,300 
			 Jobseekers 990 900 760 730 
			 Incapacity benefits 4,320 4,320 4,330 4,110 
			 Lone parent 890 870 800 770 
			 Carers 900 1,000 1,030 1,040 
			 Other income related benefits 3,680 3,790 3,770 3,750 
			 Disabled 2,790 2,880 2,940 3,140 
			 Bereaved 330 290 250 230 
			 State pension only 11,690 11,670 12,050 12,550 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Figures for attendance allowance, carers allowance, and disability living allowance include those cases with entitlement but where payment is currently suspended (for example because of an extended stay in hospital or being in receipt of an overlapping benefit). 4. Statistical group is a hierarchical variable. A person who fits into more than one category will only appear in the top-most one for which they are eligible: Jobseeker: claimant on jobseekers allowance; Incapacity benefits: claimant on incapacity benefit or severe disablement allowance; Lone parent: claimant on income support with child under 16 and no partner; Carer: claimant entitled to carer's allowance; Other income related benefit: claimant on income support or pension credit; disabled: claimant on attendance allowance or disability living allowance, anyone of working age in this group will be claiming DLA only, and is likely to be in work; Bereaved: claimant on bereavement benefit or widow's benefit; State pension only: claimant in receipt of state pension only. For example a claimant of disability living allowance and jobseekers allowance would appear in "job seeker", not in "disabled". 5. Jobseeker's allowance data have been revised following improvements to the methodology for compiling Department for Work and Pensions jobseeker's allowance statistics. To ensure consistency overtime the improved methodology was applied to historical data. The preferred source of data for jobseeker's allowance claimants is the Office for National Statistics' claimant count. However, in this case, the Department for Work and Pensions Work and Pensions Longitudinal Survey has been used for consistency with the other benefit statistics.  Source: DWP Information Directorate

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which medical examination centres in London are contracted by his Department to carry out medical assessments in relation to claims for benefits; which such centres have parking spaces for disabled people; and what requirements his Department makes in respect of the accessibility of such centres to people with disabilities.

Jonathan R Shaw: There are seven medical examination centres in the London area. These are Balham, Highgate, Croydon, Marylebone, Romford, Ealing and Wimbledon. None of these buildings have any car parking facilities. Under the terms of the Medical Services Contract, Atos Healthcare is required to comply with all appropriate legislation in delivering medical services which includes the Disability Discrimination Act. Where a customer's disability would give rise to difficulties in accessing an examination centre, Medical Services are required to make alternative arrangements for the examination to take place.

Social Security Benefits: Offenders

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many written warnings have been issued to benefit claimants in  (a) pilot and  (b) other areas on sanctions in relation to refusal to engage in a rehabilitation programme in respect of anti-social behaviour or criminal behaviour under the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 as amended by the Welform Reform Act 2007 in each month since November 2007; in how many cases benefit sanctions have been applied; what assessment he has made of progress in the pilot areas against the objectives of the pilot scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Although the pilots for the sanction in housing benefit related to anti-social behaviour have been running since 1 November 2007, none of the eight local authorities has issued a written warning under section 130B of the Contributions and Benefits Act.
	The courts for the pilot areas have notified the department of only five repossessions on the grounds of anti social behaviour. There are no data for other areas. Research conducted so far has concluded that, although the sanction has been publicised and used in routine warning letters to tenants engaged in anti-social behaviour, the general view is that the impact of a warning of a sanction at an early stage is limited and the threat of eviction is taken more seriously. However, the pilots have 10 more months to run and we will continue to research the deterrent effect of the sanction and the impact of any sanctions administered during that period.

Social Security Benefits: Overpayments

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many overpayments of each type of benefit were made to claimants in  (a) Eastbourne and  (b) the UK in the last 12 months.

Kitty Ussher: The information is not available for claimants in Eastbourne. Information in relation to how many overpayments of each type of benefit in the UK is in the following table. The information is not available in the format that covers the last 12 months, but is broken down for the year April 2007 to March 2008, and then from April to December 2008 inclusive.
	The data include all identified overpayments, including those classified as fraud, customer error and official error.
	
		
			  Volumes of overpayments by benefit 
			   2007-08  2008 April to December 
			 Attendance Allowance 127,894 97,829 
			 Bereavement Allowance 480 309 
			 Carers Allowance 25,865 14,126 
			 Constant Attendance Allowance 26 11 
			 Disability Living Allowance 53,427 42,107 
			 Employment and Support Allowance 0 7 
			 Incapacity benefit 81,200 47,498 
			 Industrial Death benefit 280 205 
			 Industrial Injuries benefit 137 64 
			 Industrial Injuries Disablement benefit 4,982 3,152 
			 Income Support 402,834 225,232 
			 Invalidity Benefit 76 19 
			 Job Seekers Allowance 181,974 80,649 
			 Maternity Allowance 646 681 
			 Pension Credit 136,031 112,466 
			 Retirement Allowance 53 72 
			 Reduced Earnings allowance 109 173 
			 State Pension 229,608 168,596 
			 Severe Disablement Allowance 1,454 1,058 
			 Winter Fuel payments 403 1,205 
			 Widowed Mothers allowance 427 195 
			 Widows pension 715 516 
			 Widowed parents allowance 1,127 895 
			 Christmas Bonus 6,178 3,746 
			 Others 424 18 
			 Total 1,256,350 (1)800,829 
			 (1) Data for April to December 2008 do not include small overpayments that are not deemed cost effective to pursue. These were recorded separately during this period and cannot be broken down by benefit. They totalled 267,632 for this period.  Note: Data for April to December 2008 are indicative only.

Social Security Benefits: Overseas Residence

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to which allowances and benefits UK citizens living in other EU member states and Switzerland may be entitled; and when the Government plans to implement the decisions of the European Court of Justice on the matter.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 9 February 2009
	 People who move from the UK to live in other EU member states and Switzerland may continue to receive certain UK social security benefits. For example they continue to be paid some UK contributory benefits such as state pension or bereavement benefit.
	UK citizens who live in other states may be able to claim benefits from their state of residence. The exact nature of the benefits they can receive depends on where they have worked, what benefits they receive from the UK, whether they meet the relevant entitlement conditions and how the benefits are covered under the European social security coordination rules. These rules cover benefits for old age, survivors, invalidity, unemployment, industrial injury and prescribed diseases, sickness, maternity, and family.
	The UK does not hold detailed information on the benefits systems of other states.
	We expect to set out entitlement conditions for those wishing to claim the UK disability benefits from abroad shortly. The Directgov website will be updated at that time:
	www.directgov.gov.uk.

Social Security Benefits: Postal Services

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what recent discussions he had held with Royal Mail on redirecting benefit-related communications sent by his Department; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness in reducing benefit fraud and error of the agreement with Royal Mail to redirect benefit-related communication sent to customers by his Department.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 3 February 2009
	 The Secretary of State has not held any recent discussions with Royal Mail regarding redirection of benefit related mail by his Department.
	The Department has not made any recent assessments of the effectiveness of the agreement between Royal Mail and the Department to redirect benefit-related communications.
	However, responses from a recent local authority survey and discussions with local authorities' representatives suggest that it acts as an effective deterrent against fraud.
	The Do Not Redirect agreement between Royal Mail and DWP is an anti-fraud measure that applies specifically to local authorities' housing benefit and council tax benefit correspondence.
	I would also like correct previous answers given regarding this matter—16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1376W and 29 January 2009,  Official Report, column 698W, do not make clear that the agreement with Royal Mail relates to local authority housing benefit and council tax benefit only. It does not apply to any of the benefits administered by the DWP. I apologise to my hon. Friend for this error.

Social Security Benefits: Proof of Identity

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons his Department has decided to require the production of a passport as proof of identity for the purpose of access to the services it provides; and what consideration was given to continuing to accept a birth certificate as proof of identity.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 12 February 2009
	 The Department for Work and Pensions follows a robust process to verify an individual's identity prior to providing access to benefits.
	The Department accepts passports, including those passports held by citizens with dual nationalities, as well as birth certificates and a range of other supporting identity documentary evidence when assuring a person's identity.

Social Security Benefits: Reform

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of drug users who would be liable to be required to  (a) answer questions,  (b) undertake substance-related assessment,  (c) undertake relevant tasks and  (d) undertake rehabilitation plans under the provisions of Schedule 1(a) of the Welfare Reform Bill during the first full year following its entry into force.

Tony McNulty: We expect approximately 15 to 20 per cent. of new problem drug user claimants to flow through the pilots. This equates to 2,500-3,500 problem drug users each year. It is anticipated that a significant number of this group will participate in the key components of the new employment and support programme.

State Retirement Pensions

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of basic state pension claim forms were processed within 60 days of receipt in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09 to date.

Rosie Winterton: The answer is in the following table:
	
		
			  State pension clearance times 
			  Percentage 
			  Target  2007-08  Ja nuary  YTD( 1)  2008-09 
			 Clear 95 per cent. of non-complex state pension claims within 60 days 93.11 — 
			 Clear 91 per cent. of complex state pension claims within 85 days(2) 90.10 — 
			 Clear at least 95 per cent. of new claims to state pension within 60 days(3) — 94.71 
			 (1) YTD—Year To Date (2) Complex claims are claims to state pension from customers who have been widowed or divorced and the spouse's national insurance contributions are taken into consideration. (3) Target changed in 2008-09.  Sources: Pension Service Legacy System (The 2008-09 figure should be considered to be indicative at this stage) and The Pension Service Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08.

Train to Gain Programme

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the written ministerial statement of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 2-4WS, on support for jobseekers, whether companies which had  (a) made redundancies and  (b) dismissed employees by the date of the Statement are eligible for (i) the funding and (ii) the recruitment subsidy.

Tony McNulty: The Government's intention is that the recruitment subsidy should not be available to companies which have dismissed or made redundant employees. We are currently in discussions with key stakeholders, including employers and unions about the details of the recruitment subsidy scheme and how it will operate.
	All businesses in England which qualify for the recruitment subsidy will be able to access the Train to Gain funding.

Unemployed: Drugs

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what programmes his Department has to assist problem drug users to obtain jobs.

Tony McNulty: Problem drug users on jobseekers allowance and incapacity benefit/employment and support allowance have access to mainstream employment programmes through the New Deals and Pathways to Work. In addition, recovering drug users have voluntary access to the Department's progress2work programme which supports around 12,500 people each year.
	The Welfare Reform Bill includes provisions to introduce a new regime for problem drug users. This includes a new mandatory programme which will support problem drug users to make progress in addressing their drug use and any other barriers to work that they face.

Unemployment

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the UK were unemployed in accordance with the International Labour Organization definition of unemployment in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated February 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people in the UK were unemployed in accordance with the International Labour Organisation definition of unemployment in each year since 1997. (255738)
	The information requested is provided in the attached table. The estimates are consistent with those published in Table 1 of the Labour Market Statistics First Release Historical Supplement, which is available on the National Statistics website via the following link:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/OnlineProducts/LMS_FR_HS.asp
	The estimates arc derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Unemployed people aged 16 and over, three month period ending December, 1997 to 2008 ,  United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted 
			   Total (Thousand) 
			 1997 1,865 
			 1998 1,765 
			 1999 1,684 
			 2000 1,519 
			 2001 1,519 
			 2002 1,514 
			 2003 1,457 
			 2004 1,423 
			 2005 1,566 
			 2006 1,698 
			 2007 1,602 
			 2008 1,971 
			  Note: It should be noted that the aforementioned estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc.)  Source:  Labour Force Survey

Unemployment Benefits

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people aged  (a) under 60 and  (b) 60 and over who are out of work and seeking work and who have not signed on because they are not entitled to receive contribution- or income-based jobseeker's allowance owing to their receipt of an occupational pension or other income.

Tony McNulty: The information requested is not available.

Vocational Training

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether an applicant's age is taken into consideration in determining eligibility for re-training programmes funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether eligibility for  (a) the Rapid Response Service and  (b) any other re-training courses for the unemployed funded by his Department are determined wholly or partially by reference to the postcode area of the applicant; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what criteria have to be met for an unemployed person who does not qualify for the Rapid Response Scheme to be eligible for a Government-funded re-training course; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 4 February 2009
	Work-focused training is available to everyone who participates in the New Deal regardless of age or post code.
	Jobseeker's allowance customers aged 18 to 24 are currently required to participate in the New Deal for Young People when they have been continuously claiming jobseeker's allowance for six months. jobseeker's allowance customers aged 25 or over are currently required to participate in the New Deal 25 Plus when they have been continuously claiming jobseeker's allowance for 18 months, or have been claiming jobseeker's allowance for 18 out of the previous 21 months if there has been a break in their claim.
	Voluntary New Deal programmes are available to customers across benefit groups. Access to New Deal 50 Plus is restricted to benefit recipients aged 50 or over. The New Deal for Lone Parents, New Deal for Partners and New Deal for Disabled People each have their own specific qualifying criteria in order to target particular customer groups.
	The work-based training courses currently available via the New Deal are decided by each Jobcentre Plus district to meet the needs of local labour markets and so provision will vary throughout Great Britain.
	The introduction of the Flexible New Deal later this year will establish a new, unified approach for all jobseekers, whatever their age, skills or barriers to work. The Flexible New Deal will deliver work-focused support, tailored to each individual's needs and local labour market requirements.
	Jobcentre Plus offers the Rapid Response Service to all employers who notify more than 20 redundancies and can also offer its support to employers who make fewer than 20 redundancies. The service is not limited to specific postcode areas.
	An unemployed person's eligibility for re-training courses is not determined by postcode area. However, there is some specific provision that is targeted at deprived areas. The Working Neighbourhoods Fund, for example, tackles worklessness in specific deprived areas in England. The City Strategy Pathfinders align a range of funding, including the Working Neighbourhoods Fund and the Disadvantaged Areas Fund, to tackle worklessness and social exclusion in some of the country's most disadvantaged locations.

Vocational Training: North Yorkshire

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what courses were offered to jobseeker's allowance claimants in Vale of York constituency in the last 12 months; how many people completed each course; and what the cost to the public purse of each completed course was per person.

Tony McNulty: The specific information requested is not available separately for the Vale of York.
	Depending on their needs, customers in the Vale of York are able to access the range of provision that is available across the North Yorkshire district.

Winter Fuel Payments

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the amount of winter fuel allowance overpaid in each of the last three years; and how much of the sum overpaid has subsequently been repaid.

Rosie Winterton: Winter fuel payments are made based on a customer's personal circumstances in the qualifying week.
	Any overpayment of winter fuel payment is recoverable if it arose in consequence of a misrepresentation of, or failure to disclose a material fact.
	
		
			  Recoverable winter fuel overpayments( 1) 
			  £ 
			   Value of winter fuel recoverable overpayments in year  Total value of recoveries in year 
			 2005-06 11,800 12,018 
			 2006-07 98,782 36,277 
			 2007-08 764,271 202,894 
		
	
	
		
			  Non recoverable winter fuel overpayments( 1) 
			  £ 
			   Value of winter fuel non recoverable overpayments in year  Total value of recoveries in year 
			 2005-06 12,725 None 
			 2006-07 7,900 None 
			 2007-08 122,585 None 
			 (1) Actual amounts.  Notes: 1. In year recoveries are amounts received against the total debt stock each year and therefore may exceed the amount of payments recorded in any one year. 2. Of £764,271 winter fuel recoverable overpayments recorded in 2007-08 a total of £403,568 related to overpayments from October 2005 to March 2008. 3. Calculation and recovery action was pursued on all cases in accordance with the Overpayments Recovery Guide. Recoveries of £403,568 for the period October 2005 to March 2007 were recorded on an interim Overpayment Recovery System. These were then migrated and brought to account on the Debt Manager system in December 2007 and appear in the figure for 2007-08.

Winter Fuel Payments

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people  (a) were eligible for and  (b) received cold weather payments in the week commencing 5 January 2009.

Kitty Ussher: A weather station is said to 'trigger' when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0°C or below over seven consecutive days. An eligible customer receives a cold weather payment when the weather station to which the customer's postcode is linked triggers. The number of customers who were entitled to cold weather payments because of triggers notified in the week commencing 5 January 2009 is estimated to be 2.4 million.
	Some customers received two payments based on triggers notified in the week commencing 5 January 2009. This happened if the weather station to which the customer's postcode is linked triggered once for a 'recorded' period of seven consecutive days and once for a 'forecast' period of seven consecutive days.
	Information oh the number of customers who received payments in that week is not available.

Winter Fuel Payments

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on cold weather payments in respect of the period of cold weather since 25 December 2008, broken down by weather station area.

Kitty Ussher: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Estimated cold weather payment expenditure in respect of the period of the cold weather from 25 December 2008 to 13 January 2009 by weather station in Great Britain 
			  Weather station  Admin area  Estimated expenditure (£) 
			 Aberporth Ceredigion 117,500 
			 Albemarle Northumberland 3,652,500 
			 Andrewsfield Essex 3,410,000 
			 Aultbea Highland 0 
			 Aviemore Highland 40,000 
			 Bedford Bedfordshire 4,205,000 
			 Bingley West Yorkshire 8,045,000 
			 Bishopton Renfrewshire 5,132,500 
			 Boscombe Down Wiltshire 650,000 
			 Boulmer Northumberland 0 
			 Braemar Aberdeenshire 80,000 
			 Brize Norton Oxfordshire 1,295,000 
			 Cardinham (Bodmin) Cornwall 335,000 
			 Carlisle Cumbria 372,500 
			 Cassley Highland 10,000 
			 Charlwood West Sussex 2,150,000 
			 Charterhall Scottish Borders 0 
			 Chivenor Devon 245,000 
			 Coleshill Warwickshire 15,515,000 
			 Crosby Merseyside 6,792,500 
			 Culdrose Cornwall 0 
			 Dundrennan Dumfries and Galloway 132,500 
			 Dunkeswell Aerodrome Devon 2,040,000 
			 Dyce (Aberdeen airport) Aberdeen 0 
			 Edinburgh Gogarbank Edinburgh 0 
			 Eskdalemuir Dumfries and Galloway 320,000 
			 Filton South Gloucestershire 2,940,000 
			 Heathrow Greater London 14,585,000 
			 Hereford-Credenhill Herefordshire 2,660,000 
			 Herstmonceux West End East Sussex 662,500 
			 High Wycombe Buckinghamshire 1,060,000 
			 Hum (Bournemouth Airport) Dorset 1,900,000 
			 Isle of Portland Dorset 0 
			 Kinloss Moray 745,000 
			 Kirkwall Orkney 0 
			 Lake Vyrnwy Powys 300,000 
			 Leconfield East Riding of Yorkshire 0 
			 Lerwick Shetland 0 
			 Leuchars Fife 1,065,000 
			 Linton on Ouse North Yorkshire 3,472,500 
			 Liscombe Somerset 385,000 
			 Loch Glascarnoch Highland 40,000 
			 Loftus Redcar and Cleveland 0 
			 Lusa Highland 17,500 
			 Lyneham Wiltshire 1,840,000 
			 Machrihanish Argyll and Bute 0 
			 Manston Kent 2,727,500 
			 Marham Norfolk 642,500 
			 Norwich Airport Norfolk 1,260,000 
			 Nottingham Nottinghamshire 6,315,000 
			 Pembrey Sands Carmarthenshire 1,397,500 
			 Plymouth Plymouth 0 
			 Redesdale Northumberland 155,000 
			 Rhyl Denbighshire 835,000 
			 St. Athan Vale of Glamorgan 1,457,500 
			 St. Catherine's Point Isle of Wight 0 
			 Salsburgh North Lanarkshire 377,500 
			 Scilly St. Mary Isles of Scilly 0 
			 Sennybridge Powys 3,375,000 
			 Shap Cumbria 245,000 
			 Shawbury Shropshire 3,235,000 
			 South Famborough Hampshire 3,020,000 
			 Stomoway Airport Western Isles 0 
			 Thorney Island West Sussex 2,825,000 
			 Tiree Argyll and Bute 0 
			 Trawsgoed Ceredigion 170,000 
			 Tulloch Bridge Highland 110,000 
			 Valley Anglesey 0 
			 Waddington Lincolnshire 2,250,000 
			 Walney Island Cumbria 0 
			 Wattisham Suffolk 2,730,000 
			 West Freugh Dumfries and Galloway 0 
			 Wick Airport Highland 0 
			 Wittering Peterborough 1,410,000 
			 Woodford Greater Manchester 10,430,000 
			 Yeovilton Somerset 1,370,000 
			
			 Great Britain — 132,550,000 
			  Notes: 1. The admin area gives the location of each weather station, not the area which is linked to the weather station. For example, Heathrow weather station covers almost all of Greater London, but not all of it, and some areas outside Greater London are linked to Heathrow weather station. 2. The estimates of expenditure are the most recently available, but they are only estimates. 3. The estimates of expenditure have been rounded to the nearest £2,500 (as they are based on estimates of the number of eligible benefit units rounded to the nearest 100 and the payment per week of cold weather is £25).  Sources: 1. Admin areas for weather stations: the Met Office, October 2008. 2. Estimated expenditure: analysis of a scan of benefit recipients eligible for cold weather payments taken at the end of October 2008 and departmental records of triggers.

Winter Fuel Payments

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioner households will receive the extra £60 winter fuel allowance payment in  (a) January,  (b) February and  (c) March 2009; and whether these households will be informed when they can expect to receive the payment.

Rosie Winterton: There is no extra £60 winter fuel allowance payment. However, there is an additional £60 payment to the Christmas bonus.
	Around 12.5 million Christmas bonus recipients are pensioners. It is not possible to determine from the system generated payments the precise number of pensioners who have been paid the additional Christmas bonus as eligibility for the payment is not based on age. However out of the 12.2 million payments issued by 9 February we estimate that over 90 per cent. were to people of pension age.
	The remaining pensioners, paid by a different computer system, are due to receive their payments by the end of February with exceptionally some clerical payments after 15 March 2009.
	The table sets out the payment schedule for the additional £60 for all entitled customers including pensioners.
	
		
			  Actual and forecasted volumes for additional £60 payment 
			   Volume payments to be made  Percentage of forecasted total 
			 1 January 2009 to  15 January 2009 12,175,120 81.94 
			 16 January 2009 to 31 January 2009 41,630 0.28 
			 1 February 2009 to 15 February 2009 49,390 0.33 
			 16 February 2009 to 28 February 2009 1,302,100 8.76 
			 1 March 2009 to  15 March 2009 1,289,700 8.69 
			 16 March 2009 to  31 March 2009 (1)0 0 
			 (1) Exceptionally some payments may be issued clerically after 15 March 2009  Notes: 1. All payment figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. As of 9 February 2009 DWP have issued 12,231,904 payments. 3. The total volume of payments forecast to be made is 14,857,929.  Source: Special Payment Programme weekly review document 11 February 2009. 
		
	
	A series of newspaper advertisements were published in the week of 5 January to alert all recipients of the Christmas bonus to the additional £60 payments and to explain that payments would be made between January and March 2009.

Winter Fuel Payments

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioner households in each constituency are entitled to receive the extra £60 winter fuel allowance payment.

Rosie Winterton: The extra £60 is an increase in the Christmas bonus payment not the winter fuel payment. It is not possible to provide the number of pensioner households in receipt of the Christmas bonus as the Christmas bonus is paid according to an individual's eligibility.
	However, I have placed in the Library information on the approximate number of individual pensioners in each constituency eligible to receive the extra £60 Christmas bonus payment.

Winter Fuel Payments

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints his Department has received regarding incorrect winter fuel payments in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: In winter 2008-09 we made over 12 million winter fuel payments to over 8.5 million households. The answer is in the following table.
	
		
			  Complaints regarding incorrect winter fuel payments for the past five years 
			   Number 
			 2004 330 
			 2005 613 
			 2006 527 
			 2007 415 
			 2008 464 
			 Total 2,349 
			  Source:  CDC Respond

Winter Fuel Payments: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people entitled to a winter fuel payment in Greater London are yet to receive their payment from the last round of applications.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is not available.
	Of the 12 million winter fuel payments, the vast majority, over 95 per cent. are made automatically before Christmas based on information already held in DWP records. In these cases individuals do not need to make an application.
	However there are a small group of people who may qualify for winter fuel payments who need to make an application. This is usually because they are not in receipt of a state pension or other benefit administered by the DWP. Applications for this year must be received by March 2009. Payments are made in stages between November 2008 and May 2009 depending on when the application and supporting information is received.
	In winter 2006-07, the last year for which figures are available, 1,082,070 people in the London Government Office region received a winter fuel payment.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government is taking to protect the Jewish community from anti-Semitic attacks; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: Following the dramatic rise in anti-Semitic attacks recorded since the onset of the conflict in Gaza, the Secretary of State and I met with representatives from Jewish organisations to provide reassurance that we are taking the action necessary to tackle the recent upsurge in anti-Semitism. The Government will continue to engage with relevant agencies including the Community Security Trust to ensure that the Jewish community is fully protected from the scourge of anti-Semitism.
	The 'All-Party Inquiry into Antisemitism: Government Response One year on Progress Report' published in May 2008 set out the Government's current programme of work to combat anti-Semitism. On 11 February, I attended a ministerial seminar hosted by my hon. Friend the Minister for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism to discuss the Government's strategy towards tackling anti-Semitism on the internet. This was one of the key commitments set out in the progress report.
	The UK is also taking an international lead in tackling anti-Semitism and hosted a landmark conference in February which brought together MPs and experts from across the globe to tackle anti-Semitism.

Bellwin Scheme

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was claimed under the Bellwin scheme following the summer floods of 2007; and how much has been paid out to local authorities.

John Healey: Local authorities claimed a total of £24,074,196 under the Bellwin scheme for the 2007 summer floods. £5,278,917 was excluded as it was not eligible expenditure under the scheme. A total of £18,795,279 was therefore paid out under the Bellwin scheme by the Department.

Community Relations

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government has taken to improve community relations between diverse populations.

Sadiq Khan: In 2007 we announced a renewed commitment to community cohesion with a £50 million investment over three years and a new public service agreement to build cohesive, active and empowered communities. We continue to support local authorities in delivering improvements in cohesion by providing a framework of guidance and targeted local support.
	In addition in July 2008 we published the Inter Faith framework which aims to facilitate inter faith dialogue, thus building understanding and celebrating the values held in common by the different faith communities, such as integrity in public life, care, compassion and respect. The framework, which is supported by a funding commitment of over £7.5 million, is also intended to increase the level of collaborative social action involving different faith communities and wider civil society, so that people work together to bring about positive and concrete change within their local communities. Finally, it aims to maintain and further develop good relations between faith communities and wider civil society.
	This work will also make a positive contribution to work we are undertaking to deliver the Meaningful Interaction strand of PSA21 (Cohesive Engaged Empowered Communities) which aim to encourage meaningful interaction between people from different backgrounds.

Council Housing: Hampshire

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people are on local authority housing waiting lists in  (a) Winchester and  (b) Hampshire; and what the equivalent figures were (i) five and (ii) 10 years ago.

Sadiq Khan: Information is available on numbers of households rather than people. The number of households registered on local authority housing waiting lists in each local authority, as at 1 April each year, is published on the Communities and Local Government website in Table 600. The latest available data are at April 2008. The link for this table is given below:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/table600.xls
	Local authorities in England report the numbers of households on their housing waiting list as at 1 April in their annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix returns. The number of households on local authorities' waiting lists in Hampshire is provided in the following table. This includes numbers for each local authority in Hampshire, including Winchester.
	
		
			  Number of households on the waiting list (excludes households looking for transfers) 
			   April 1998  April 2003  April 2008 
			 Basingstoke and Deane 3,584 4,497 5,633 
			 East Hampshire 2,109 2,238 2,153 
			 Eastleigh 1,169 3,424 5,604 
			 Fareham 669 1,625 1,717 
			 Gosport 1,047 1,412 3,076 
			 Hart 739 970 1,882 
			 Havant 2,220 2,349 4,232 
			 New Forest 1,455 2,428 5,228 
			 Rushmoor 1,290 2,189 3,102 
			 Test Valley 1,768 2,189 3,048 
			 Winchester 1,094 1,237 2,230 
			 Hampshire (administrative) 17,144 24,558 37,905 
			 
			 Portsmouth UA 4,264 5,525 4,562 
			 Southampton UA 3,902 6,697 11,662 
			  Note:  The cities of Southampton and Portsmouth are not included in the administrative Hampshire total.  Source:  Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA). 
		
	
	Further information on the number of households on the local authority housing waiting lists for England, can be found in the statistical release "Local Authority Housing Statistics England: 2007-08: Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA) and Business Plan Statistical Appendix (BPSA)". This was published on 22 January 2009 on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/lahousing200708
	Copies of the statistical release and live table have been deposited in the Library.

Departmental Contracts

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne of 29 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 1137-40W, on departmental contracts, what the  (a) purpose and  (b) project topic is of each consultancy contract in the table provided in the answer.

Sadiq Khan: A revised table showing  (a) purpose and  (b) project topic, has been deposited in the Library of the House.

Departmental Internet

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will publish a copy of her Department's website accessibility plan.

Sadiq Khan: The Department publishes its commitments on the accessibility of its websites at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/help/accessibility/
	This has been updated in line with recent Cabinet Office guidelines on accessible and inclusive websites.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many expert advisers, excluding special advisers, have been commissioned by her Department since June 2007; and on which topics they have advised.

Sadiq Khan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 239W.

Departmental Overseas Visits

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 21 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1392W, on departmental overseas visits, how many of the overseas visits were made in order to attend foreign conferences; and what conferences were attended.

Sadiq Khan: Records on overseas visits held in Communities and Local Government (CLG) do not identify separately the number of overseas visits made to attend foreign conferences or information on what conferences were attended. This information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	All ministerial travel and travel by CLG staff is undertaken in accordance with the "Civil Service Management Code" and the "Ministerial Code".

Departmental Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department has allocated for staff bonuses in 2008-09.

Sadiq Khan: There are three ways in which staff in this Department might be entitled to a non-consolidated award in the financial year 2008-09.
	The Government have accepted a recommendation by the Senior Salaries Review Body that for senior civil servants over the period 2008-11 there should be an indicative envelope, of 7 per cent. of paybill per head, available for normal base pay increases and increasing the non-consolidated performance pot. Under these arrangements, the Department has made non-consolidated payments in 2008-09 to 111 staff at a total cost of £856,392.
	The pay settlement for staff below the senior civil service for 2008-09 has yet to be determined and so we cannot provide information in relation to the cost of non-consolidated payments at this time.
	All non-consolidated payments above are funded within existing pay bill controls, have to be re-earned each year against pre-determined targets and, as such, do not add to future pay bill costs.
	In Communities and Local Government, non-consolidated payments are made to those members of staff who are found to have made a significant contribution towards the achievement of the teams, and/or Department's objectives. Individuals are expected to show that they have exceeded the requirements set for the achievement of the objective and have demonstrated exemplary behaviour in doing so.
	Our senior civil service staff members are also assessed against a range of factors, such as:
	The achievement of their Prime Objective which focuses on the way in which they lead, manage and develop their staff;
	Degree to which business objectives are met;
	Delivery for Ministers;
	Demonstration of skills such as judgment, leadership and the PSG skills;
	Effective resource management.
	The Department also operates a scheme for all staff below the senior civil service under which individuals or teams may receive a small non-consolidated award in recognition of an outstanding contribution over a limited period. A formal allocation of funding is not made for this scheme but a limit of 0.2 per cent. of the paybill is placed on expenditure under these arrangements. The maximum payment under these arrangements is £600 but records are not available to show the number of payments made under this scheme in 2008-09.

Departmental Standards

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the cost to her Department of conducting comprehensive performance assessments has been each year since the assessments were introduced.

John Healey: The cost of the Audit Commission's work on comprehensive performance assessment (CPA) was covered by income from fees paid by local authorities, along with grant to the Audit Commission from the Department. The cost to local authorities of Audit Commission fees was offset by the revenue support grant paid to them by the Department.
	I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member directly with an estimate of the costs of conducting CPA since its introduction in 2002.
	 Letter from Steve Bundred, dated 23 February 2009:
	Parliamentary Question: what the cost to the Department for Communities and Local Government of conducting comprehensive performance assessments has been each year since the assessments were introduced
	I have been asked to follow up your Parliamentary Question on what the cost to the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) of conducting comprehensive performance assessments has been each year since the assessments were introduced, with some further information.
	For local authorities, the Audit Commission's work on comprehensive performance assessment (CPA) has been funded by a mixture of direct grant from CLG and fees charged to the local authorities being assessed. For fire and rescue authorities, CPA work is wholly funded by CLG grant. I attach two schedules providing the details of this funding since the respective frameworks started.
	I trust this information is helpful.
	A copy of this letter will be placed in Hansard.
	
		
			  Funding for CPA of local authorities 
			  £ million 
			   CLG grant  Inspection fees  Total 
			 2002-03 21.7 18.7 40.4 
			 2003-04 21.7 15.5 37.2 
			 2004-05 20.0 14.7 34.7 
			 2005-06 18.4 8.0 26.4 
			 2006-07 17.8 10.8 28.6 
			 2007-08 18.2 11.7 29.9 
		
	
	
		
			  Funding for CPA of fire and rescue authorities 
			   CLG grant (£ million) 
			 2003-04 0.4 
			 2004-05 2.8 
			 2005-06 1.4 
			 2006-07 1.5 
			 2007-08 1.9

Departmental Standards

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people have been employed to work on comprehensive performance assessments in each year since the assessments were introduced.

John Healey: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Steve Bundred, dated 23 February 2009:
	Your Parliamentary Question on how many people have been employed to work on comprehensive performance assessments in each year since the assessments were introduced has been passed to me to reply.
	I attach two schedules (one for local authorities and one for fire and rescue authorities) setting out the number of inspections and associated inspector days in connection with Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) undertaken by Audit Commission staff in each year since 2002/03. The schedules also show the number of full-time equivalent inspectors represented by the volume of inspection work in each year.
	In addition, the CPA ratings for local authorities draw on the work of external auditors appointed by the Audit Commission. This use of resources assessment forms part of the external audit programme and the days spent on this element are not collected separately.
	I trust this information is helpful.
	A copy of this letter will be placed in Hansard.
	
		
			  Comprehensive Performance Assessments—local authorities 
			  Inspection year  Single tier and county councils  District Councils  Total  FTE staff 
			   Inspections  Days  Inspections  Days  Inspections  Days  
			 2002/03 424 20,371 217 8,803 641 29,174 172 
			 2003/04 417 10,746 264 21,622 681 32,368 190 
			 2004/05 351 9,669 427 10,615 778 20,284 119 
			 2005/06 222 7,103 358 6,539 580 13,642 80 
			 2006/07 225 9,430 335 6,575 560 16,005 94 
			 2007/08 242 10,147 333 7,417 575 17,564 103 
			 2008/09 199 5,717 305 4,341 504 10,058 59 
		
	
	
		
			  Comprehensive Performance Assessments—fire and rescue authorities 
			  Inspection year  Fire and rescue authorities  FTE staff 
			   Inspections  Days  
			 2004/05 31 2,170 13 
			 2005/06 16 1,120 7 
			 2006/07 47 564 3 
			 2007/08 46 552 3 
			 2008/09 54 1,296 8

Departmental Translation Services

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many language translators are employed in each of her Department's executive agencies; and what the cost of translating services provided by such people was in the latest period for which information is available.

Sadiq Khan: The Fire Service College engaged three part-time translators to work with staff delivering courses to Saudi Arabian students (during various periods between 5 January 2009 and 27 March 2009). Full costs have been recovered from the sales revenue.
	The Planning Inspectorate procures translation services, and spend was £59,215 in 2007-08.
	As a trading fund, the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre would buy in and recharge if translation services were requested by its clients.
	Some Ordnance Survey staff have second language skills which are used when expedient. Ordnance Survey contracts a commercial agency to provide the bulk of its language translation needs. In the twelve months to 31 January 2009, Ordnance Survey spent £20,055 on external language translations; predominantly in the translation of documentation and web-based information into Welsh in support of its commitment to the Welsh Language Act 1993.

Design for Manufacture Programme

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes were constructed for approximately £60,000 under the Design for Manufacture programme.

Margaret Beckett: The Design for Manufacture (DFM) competition was launched in April 2005 and was run by English Partnerships until the end of last year. English Partnerships was replaced in December 2008 by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), operating on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government. The competition was the Government's challenge to the house building industry to build high-quality, well-designed homes for £60,000. The figure of £60,000 relates to a target construction cost for building a two-bedroom home and does not reflect the development cost or sale price.
	The competition is expected to deliver more than 1,100 high-quality, well-designed, sustainable homes. Of these, developers were asked to build around 30 per cent. for the target construction cost of £60,000 or less. However, the other 70 per cent. were expected to be larger and smaller homes built at an equivalent cost-efficiency.
	Construction of all of the homes being built through the DFM competition is still under way, so it is not possible to predict how many homes will be completed for the target cost. However, the HCA last year commissioned a professional firm of chartered surveyors and cost consultants to analyse cost data received from the various developers building the homes.
	It is not practical at this stage to compare the sites in this study and draw any firm conclusions, as the property designs and types are so varied. Also, the sites are located in different areas in the country and each site has reported different obstacles to overcome. However, early indications from this study show that out of a sample of 135 units surveyed and completed at the time of the study, and with appropriate cost adjustments to reflect price inflation since the competition was launched in April 2005, 79 were built for close to or less than £60,000.

Durham County Council: Pay

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many employees of Durham County Council have salaries in the range  (a) £80,000 to £89,999,  (b) £90,000 to £99,999,  (c) £100,000 to £149,999,  (d) £150,000 to £199,999 and  (e) £200,000 and above.

John Healey: The information requested is not held centrally.

Eco-Towns

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the costs incurred by local authorities which have a proposed eco-town site in their area arising from the eco-town initiative to date.

Margaret Beckett: We are working closely with local authorities and have encouraged promoters of eco-towns to engage locally with authorities and key stakeholders. It is not possible for this Department to estimate the total costs incurred by individual local authorities with an eco-town proposal in their area, some of which is planning and assessment work which would be needed in any event. As part of the assessment process we have agreed to contribute to local authority costs in supporting this process, and so far £820,000 has been allocated to provide support to local authorities and agencies to undertake work in support of the eco-towns assessment process, including funding for impact reports.

Eco-Towns: Consultants

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consultancy advice  (a) the Town and Country Planning Association,  (b) Mr. Jim Duggan and  (c) Mr. David Locke are providing to her Department on eco-towns; and at what cost in each case.

Margaret Beckett: As set out in the written ministerial statement given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) on 7 March 2007,  Official Report, column 128WS, we asked the Town & Country Planning Association (TCPA) with Professor David Lock, then Chair of the TCPA, to provide further advice on the practical application of the key sustainability and development criteria for eco-towns. More recently the TCPA has continued to advise my Department through developing best practice guidance on the laying out and planning of eco-towns and similar development, and co-ordinating the input of experts to this. This is generic guidance which is publicly available and at no time have TCPA been involved in advising us or assessing any individual eco-town projects.
	To manage any potential conflicts of interest with Professor Lock's role as a planning consultant and Chair of the TCPA at that time, a protocol of roles and responsibilities was drawn up and is publicly available on the TCPA's website. Professor Lock's involvement in advising this Department on eco-towns has only been through the TCPA and their work on the practical application of the key criteria for eco-towns. Professor Lock stood down as Chair of the TCPA last year, having served two terms in that role. In terms of the funding that we provide to the TCPA for this work I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 771W.
	Mr. Jim Duggan has not been employed by this Department to provide advice on eco-towns.

Eco-Towns: Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much her Department has spent on its eco-towns initiative to date; under what budget headings such expenditure has been incurred; and what estimate she has made of such expenditure incurred in 2008-09.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar on 25 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1265W. This sets out details about spending on the eco-towns programme, and the following table provides an update on the costs related to technical consultancy and marketing. This is of course ongoing work involving private consultants, and it would not be appropriate to provide further details of the anticipated costs at this time. In terms of costs in relation to the recent judicial review, the Department's legal costs were awarded to the Secretary of State. Such costs are the subject of agreement between the parties and in the absence of this a judge will decide the amount in a detailed assessment hearing. It is therefore not possible to provide an estimate in advance of this process.
	
		
			   Funding  (£) 
			 Sustainability appraisal (1)105,000 
			 Financial assessment (2)720,800 
			 Challenge panel (3)20,000 
			 TCPA work on practical guidance and best practice advice to local authorities and other stakeholders, including running the Eco-towns Expert Group, running events with stakeholders and producing worksheets (4)225,000 
			  (5)205,000 
			   
			 Local authority/agency assessments—the Department has agreed to contribute to local authority costs in supporting the assessment process. (6)820,000 
			 Communications—this includes spending on market research, regional media, design work, digital media and public engagement activities. (7)960,700 
			 (1) Contract value—this work is not complete (2)( )Contract value so far—this work is not complete (3 )The Challenge Panel members were entitled to claim the Government rate of £350 per day when working for the Panel. (4)( )2007-08 (5)( )Allocated funding for 2008-09 (6)( )Allocated funding for 2008-09 (7) Contract value so far—this work is ongoing  Note: All figures for expenditure have been rounded to the nearest 100. However, please note that a large proportion of the overall figure represents contract value, not all of which has been realised (work is still to be completed).

Emergency Services

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many near misses were recorded by fire and rescue services in each of the last 10 years.

Sadiq Khan: Available information, on the number of health and safety near misses, is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of health and safety near misses 1998-2008 
			   RIDDOR( 1 ) Dangerous occurrences  Potential injury to persons  Potential damage to vehicles  Potential damage to operational equipment  Potential damage to buildings  Total 
			 1998-99(2) 80 919 229 190 48 1,466 
			 1999-2000 67 1,450 234 311 75 2,137 
			 2000-01 121 1,547 330 270 112 2,380 
			 2001-02(3) 117 1,924 319 415 71 2,846 
			 2002-03 150 2,004 480 432 137 3,203 
			 2003-04 72 2,629 519 596 141 3,957 
			 2004-05 91 2,420 588 518 120 3,737 
			 2005-06 60 2,502 603 547 188 3,900 
			 2006-07 44 2,397 662 517 170 3,790 
			 2007-08 52 2,426 590 568 140 3,776 
			 (1) Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) (2) Three fire and rescue services were unable to provide data. (3) Three fire and rescue services were unable to provide data.  Source:  Annual returns to Communities and Local Government

Energy Performance Certificates

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make all energy performance certificates accessible to the public.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 12 February 2009
	Individual energy performance certificates are provided to prospective buyers and tenants of properties by sellers and landlords. All EPCs are lodged in a central register, and I have no current plans to provide public access to this register.

Fire Prevention: Hotels

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she has considered the merits of awarding a certificate of compliance to bed and breakfast establishments which have complied with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Sadiq Khan: Fire certificates were abolished when the raft of fire safety legislation was replaced by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. There are no plans to reintroduce any certification regime for fire safety in England.

Fire Prevention: Hotels

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect on the bed and breakfast industry of variations in application of the provisions of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 between local authorities.

Sadiq Khan: As no two premises are likely to be the same, a 'one size fits all' approach to fire safety is inappropriate. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is non-prescriptive. It is for the responsible person to assess what fire safety measures will best deliver an adequate level of protection in the light of the specific circumstances of their premises.
	In carrying out their audit and enforcement responsibilities, individual fire safety officers will use their professional judgment and expertise to consider the extent to which the fire safety measures in place in a particular building deliver an adequate level of compliance with the provisions of the Order. Under the Regulators' Compliance Code local fire and rescue authorities are expected to implement the Hampton principles of better regulation when delivering these functions.
	We have commissioned a qualitative evaluation into the initial impact of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 on representatives from the business community, the enforcing authorities and the fire safety industry and hope to be in a position to publish this shortly.

Fire Prevention: Hotels

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she has made an assessment of the merits of awarding a grant to bed and breakfast establishments to assist them in complying with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Sadiq Khan: All those with responsibility for commercial premises or other buildings to which the public have access should ensure that an adequate level of fire protection is in place to minimise the risk to life in the event of a fire. These costs will vary according the nature of individual premises and the risks associated with their use.
	We do not consider it would appropriate to offer any specific segment of the business community financial assistance to comply with the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Fire Prevention: Hotels

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) enforcement notices were issued,  (b) prohibition notices were issued and  (c) prosecutions were brought by fire authorities against bed and breakfast establishments under the provisions of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 in (i) England, (ii) Devon and (iii) East Devon in each year since it came into force.

Sadiq Khan: The first full year for which this information is available is 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. During this period Fire and Rescue Services in England reported issuing 947 enforcement notices and 71 prohibition notices, and bringing seven prosecutions to hotels or bed breakfast premises. The information provided to the Department from Fire and Rescue Services does not require distinction between hotels and bed and breakfast premises.
	Separate information on Devon and East Devon is not centrally held. The figures for the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority area are 173 enforcement notices, two prohibition notices and no prosecutions.

Fire Prevention: Hotels

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she has considered the merits of providing free professional assistance to bed and breakfast establishments in complying with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Sadiq Khan: We have not considered providing free professional advice on complying with the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to businesses in any sector. We believe that those with responsibility for the premises are best placed to understand and manage the risk from fire in their premises by carrying out and implementing the findings of a fire safety risk assessment.
	To help the proprietors of bed and breakfast establishments in particular comply with their duties under the order, we have recently published a free booklet 'Do you have paying guests?' which aims to offer straightforward and practical fire safety advice. This is in addition to the suite of technical fire safety risk assessment guidance documents, including one specifically for those involved in the provision of sleeping accommodation, which is available to download free from:
	www.communities.gov.uk/firesafety
	or to purchase in hard copy.
	Where a responsible person feels unable to carry out their duties under the order they can ask or employ someone with greater knowledge, experience or expertise to help them. We believe it is right that businesses should pay for professional services where they deem it necessary or appropriate to use them.

Fire Services: Injuries

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many major injuries were sustained by firefighters in each of the last 10 years.

Sadiq Khan: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of RIDDOR( 1)  major injuries sustained by firefighters , England 1998-2008 
			   Number 
			 1998-99 77 
			 1999-2000 70 
			 2000-01 67 
			 2001-02 96 
			 2002-03 92 
			 2003-04 53 
			 2004-05 92 
			 2005-06 71 
			 2006-07 113 
			 2007-08 106 
			 (1) Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations  Source:  Annual returns to Communities and Local Government

Government Office For the Regions: Public Relations

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many press, marketing or public relation officers were employed by the Government Office in each region in each year since 1997.

Sadiq Khan: The Government Office Network have not employed any public relations or marketing staff but have used the services of central Departments and COI to support press announcements and public information campaigns.
	A number of Government Offices have employed information officers, the specialist grade in Government dealing in press work, in the following years during the period specified.
	
		
			  Years in which information officers employed  Government office  Staff numbers 
			 2005-06 and 2009 London 1 
			 2005-09 North East 1 
			 2002-09 North West 1 
			 2004-09 Yorkshire and the Humber 1 
			 2008-09 Regional Co-ordination Unit 1

Home Information Packs

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people selling their homes she estimates will be required to renew their home information pack in 2009.

Margaret Beckett: There is no requirement for sellers to renew their home information pack as long as the property remains on the market.

Homebuy Scheme: Finance

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to her Department's press release of 15 December 2008 on Homebuy, from which such budget the extra £100 million of funding from the project will come.

Margaret Beckett: In light of the strong response to the scheme from developers, the Government have pledged to make a further £100 million available for Homebuy direct (over and above the £300 million announced in September). This will allow the scheme to help up to 18,000 first-time buyers into home ownership (compared to the 10,000 announced in September). The precise sum that is spent on the scheme will depend on the level of take-up by first-time buyers. Any expenditure over and above the initial £300 million will be drawn from the National Affordable Housing Programme.

Homelessness

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate her Department has made of the likely change in the numbers of people becoming homeless in the next 12 months; what plans her Department has put in place to cope with that change; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: We allocated over £200 million to local authorities and the voluntary sector between 2008-09 to 2010-11 to tackle homelessness effectively. The latest statutory homelessness statistics were published on 11 December 2008, and include statistics up to the July to September quarter. This showed that local authority housing homelessness acceptances fell compared to the previous quarter and year, with 14,340 during the quarter, and the number of households placed in temporary accommodation has continued to fall, for the twelfth consecutive quarter, to 72,130 by the end of September.
	We also recently announced a £200 million Mortgage Rescue Scheme to help vulnerable homeowners. This scheme is available to all local authorities and will aim to help up to 6,000 of the most vulnerable households avoid the trauma of repossession over the next two years. This scheme is now operational.
	Alongside this, the new Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme, which was announced in the Queens Speech, will enable households that experience a significant and temporary loss of income as a result of the economic downtown to defer a proportion of interest payments on their mortgage for up to two years. The Government will guarantee a proportion of the deferred interest payments in case the borrower defaults.

Local Authority Business Growth Incentive Scheme

Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the funds allocated to local authorities under the local authority business growth incentive scheme will be ring-fenced for the provision of assistance to local businesses.

John Healey: No.

Local Government Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much local authority expenditure was provided by  (a) central government,  (b) council tax revenues and  (c) special grants for each local authority in each of the last 12 years, broken down by region with authorities ranked in order of total expenditure.

John Healey: I have placed in the Library of the House tables showing the details of local authority revenue expenditure funded by central Government grant including specific grants and council tax by each local authority and region in England from 1996-97 to 2007-08.

Local Government: Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities have Disability Equality Schemes in place; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: Information on the number of local authorities who have disability equality schemes in place is not held centrally.

Local Government: Essex

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will commission a review of the  (a) cost-effectiveness and  (b) legal basis of the procurement process used by Essex County Council to award a contract for transformational services and delivery support.

Sadiq Khan: The Department has no plans to commission a review of the cost-effectiveness or legal basis of the procurement process used by Essex county council.

Local Government: Land

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will  (a) intervene personally or  (b) appoint an arbitrator under the provisions of Liverpool Corporation Act 1902 and the Lever Park Act 1969 to resolve the dispute over the proposed commercial development at Rivington.

Sadiq Khan: As I set out in my answer of 29 January 2009,  Official Report, column 778W, no request has been made to resolve any dispute, nor are we aware of such a dispute between the parties.

Local Government: Public Participation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps the Government has taken to improve facilities for local community use.

Sadiq Khan: The "Communities in Control" White Paper set out the Government's aim to increase the number of people engaged in the running and ownership of local services and assets. More widely, the Department for Communities and Local Government has a range of policies and programmes designed to improve and increase the use of facilities for community use. These include:
	£70 million Communitybuilders programme which will strengthen the resilience of a range of new and existing multi-purpose community-led organisations. These organisations provide facilities for community activities, local services and the development of community enterprise to take place.
	We have established an Asset Transfer Unit, operational from January 2009, building on the work of the Advancing Assets for Communities programme, led by the Development Trust Association (DTA) and its partners.
	A commitment to working with and promoting the role of social enterprises (businesses with primarily social or environmental objectives) which play a key role in empowering local communities through activities such as managing and supporting community owned assets.
	In addition to this, the Office of the Third Sector run a number of programmes which can be used to increase the use of community facilities including:
	Grass-roots Grants: £130 million providing small amounts of money to enable grass-roots groups to thrive and direct their energies to the particular challenges they see in their local community.
	Futurebuilders: an innovative programme which provides loan and grant-based finance to support third sector organisations develop their delivery of public services.

Local Government: Public Participation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps the Government has taken to promote community empowerment.

John Healey: The White Paper "Communities in control: real people, real power", which was published in July 2008, was the first major government policy statement on transferring power to citizens and communities, giving people more control and influence over decisions in their local areas and promoting vibrant local democracy. These ideas should be seen as essential for public agencies, the third sector and communities in responding to the challenges of the economic downturn.
	Current work on implementing the White Paper and promoting community empowerment includes:
	 Participatory budgeting (PB): involves local people in making decisions on the spending from public budgets. We have rolled out a national strategy setting out how the Government will achieve their ambition for PB to be used in all local authority areas by 2012. There are currently 34 pilot areas, covering a wide variety of different areas. PB exercises have so far engaged local people on spending for activities such as local environmental issues, community facilities, parks and play areas, road safety measures, and anti-crime measures.
	 The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill: currently being debated in Parliament includes:
	a new duty on local councils to promote democracy—putting local authorities at the forefront of the drive to reconnect people with public and political decision-making. The duty will ensure all sections of their community understands how the council works, who makes the decisions on their behalf in their neighbourhood, and how they can get involved if they wish to;
	new rights for the citizen to have more information and influence over the local decisions;
	new powers to hold politicians and officials to account;
	a new duty on local councils to respond to petitions.
	 Asset Transfer Unit: The White Paper set out the Government's aim to increase the number of people engaged in the running and ownership of local services and assets. The "Asset Transfer Unit" opened for business in January 2009, and over the course of the year, it will:
	create an interactive web-based resource detailing sources of support for organisations engaging in asset transfer;
	deliver an England-wide information, advice and referral service on asset transfer to both community organisations and local authorities and other statutory bodies;
	implement up to 38 local authority asset transfer projects, supported by a capital investment of £30 million from the Office of the Third Sector;
	develop and introduce model asset transfer strategies in a number of local authority areas across England;
	promote and refine the use of community shares and bonds issues as methods of tapping new sources of community investment and involvement in local projects.
	 Take Part: In order for more people to be able to participate in local decision- making, they need to have a better understanding of how local services are managed and local democracy operates. We are launching the "Take Part local pathfinder programme" to support people and encourage them to have the confidence to speak up and get involved.
	18 pathfinders will be announced during 2009. They will operate as partnerships between local authorities and other key organisations, such as third sector bodies and educational institutions. The first eight pathfinders will offer tailored support (through learning and community leadership programmes etc.) to at least 3,400 people during 2009. More general support will also be given to the wider community, through the use of Take Part websites and other communications methods (such as newsletters) produced by the pathfinder partners and disseminated throughout the local authority area.
	 Communitybuilders: is a £70 million investment fund, run jointly with the Office of the Third Sector, to strengthen the sustainability of multi-purpose inclusive community-led organisations operating at the neighbourhood level. We are currently in the process of tendering for a national partner organisation to deliver the fund on the Government's behalf. The national partner will use their skills and expertise to identify and fund projects through an open and transparent process.
	The national partner will be announced and the programme will become open to applications in spring 2009.
	 Empowerment Fund: The Government are seeking to create an ever stronger partnership with the third sector, both nationally and locally, in the design, development and delivery of policy making to help build cohesive, empowered and active communities. The "Empowerment Fund", launched last year by Communities and Local Government, will strengthen national infrastructure and intermediary bodies, who can translate key proposals into practical action and support for frontline organisations.
	The Empowerment Fund will provide £7.5 million to support organisations operating across the country assist local communities to take forward key themes of the White Paper. It will:
	be open to partnership applications with an eligible lead;
	have a more flexible allowance on the Department's financial contribution;
	give added weight to those working with excluded groups across all themes.
	The closing date for receiving applications was 6 January 2009. We have received 157 applications and are currently working through the evaluation process, aiming to announce the successful organisations in March.
	The Fund will begin in April 2009 and will last until March 2012.
	 Youth Advis e rs: Young people are being placed at the heart of government policy formulation. A panel of nine young people—recruited from the national pool of young advisors—act as youth advisors to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, giving a young person's perspective as policies are developed and implemented. These young advisors are the Secretary of State's eyes and ears on issues that affect them the most, from the housing offer for young people and the impact of the economic downturn, to their role in community cohesion and the Olympics legacy.

Local Government: Public Participation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government has taken to encourage participation in local democracy.

Sadiq Khan: The Electoral Administration Act 2006 requires local electoral officers to take appropriate steps to increase participation in the electoral process, the costs of which may be reimbursed by the Secretary of State. The intention is to encourage electoral officers to pursue activities aimed at increasing awareness of and involvement in the democratic process.
	The White Paper "Communities in Control" set out additional actions including a new duty on local councils to promote democracy. This has the aim of making citizens more aware of the democratic process including who makes decisions about local services; how to influence and take part in making those decisions; and how to stand for civic roles, such as councillor, school governor or magistrate.
	Government are also supporting a range of programmes to enable and encourage a wider range of people to become involved in local democracy, including the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Women Councillors Taskforce and the Take Part programme.

London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority: Finance

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding has been allocated to the London Fire Brigade in 2008-09 to meet the costs of  (a) resilience and  (b) the threat of a terrorist attack on London; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: Details of funding allocated to the Greater London Authority in respect of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) for the period in question, relating to  (a) resilience and  (b) the heightened threat of a terrorist attack on London are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Funding allocated to the Greater London authority in respect of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority relating to resilience and the heightened threat of terrorist attack in 2008-09 -position as at 9 February 2009 
			  £ 
			 New Dimension capabilities(1) 3,698,440 
			 FiReControl implementation 876,173 
			 Firelink-LFEPA iMass Gateway Procurement 653,000 
			 CBRN New Capabilities(2) — 
			 CCA Contingency Planning Regulations requirements 606,000 
			 Total 5,833,613 
			 (1) Further allocation is planned for this year but amounts to individual authorities have not yet been determined. (2) Funding allocation is being discussed with LFEPA and no payments made to date.

Microgeneration

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to consult on the introduction of permitted development rights in respect of the installation of micro-generation units on non-domestic buildings; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: The Government are currently considering the scope for the introduction of permitted development rights for the installation of microgeneration units on non-domestic buildings. We aim to consult on the proposals in the summer.

Mortgage Interest Deferral Scheme

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 683-84W, on the Mortgage Interest Deferral Scheme, what estimate her Department has made of the cost and take-up of the scheme; when the scheme description commenced; when each remaining stage in devising the scheme descriptors is expected to be completed; when she expects to publish the full impact assessment; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: Our intention to set up a new Homeowner Mortgage Support Scheme was announced by the Prime Minister on 3 December 2008. As part of a much wider package of real help for home owners, the scheme should enable ordinary hard-working households that experience a redundancy or significant loss of income to reduce their monthly payments to a more manageable level, by deferring a proportion of the interest payments on their mortgage for up to two years. The Government will guarantee the lender against a proportion of any loss incurred on the deferred interest payments in case the borrower defaults.
	I wrote to all lenders on 18 December 2008, setting out the proposed scheme design and seeking their views by 14 January. The legal authority to pursue such a scheme was established when the Banking Act gained Royal Assent on 12 February 2009. We are now working closely with the lenders and debt advice agencies to finalise scheme design and agree plans for scheme implementation. Once discussions with the lenders to agree the scheme design have concluded, we will publish an Impact Assessment setting out the cost and anticipated take-up of the scheme. We currently expect the scheme to be up and running in the spring.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many applications have been made to the Homeowner Mortgage Protection Scheme.

Margaret Beckett: Following announcement of the proposed homeowners mortgage support scheme on 3 December 2008, we have been working urgently with a range of lenders and representatives from the money advice sector to finalise the detail of the scheme and ensure it delivers the right help to households in difficulty. The Government want to see this scheme help as many struggling homeowners as possible. We are working to open the scheme as soon as possible but as the hon. Member will be aware legislative authority to proceed had to be sought and was only received when the Banking Act received Royal Assent on 12 February 2009.

Non-Domestic Rates: Business

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what percentage of houses in each county were registered for business rates in each year since 1997.

John Healey: This information is not collected by Communities and Local Government.

Non-Domestic Rates: Empty Property

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the cost of paying business rates on empty commercial properties to local government in 2009-10.

John Healey: An estimate of the cost to local government of providing empty property relief on non-domestic properties was published on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/0910/dacalcs.xls

Non-Domestic Rates: Empty Property

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty hereditaments were eligible to pay non-domestic rates in each region in each of the last five years.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Meriden on 2 February 2009,  Official Report, column 968W.

Non-Domestic Rates: Ports

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department required the Valuation Office Agency to take to assess port businesses for individual rating  (a) before and  (b) after the end of prescriptive rating.

John Healey: The legislative framework for non-domestic rating is set out in Part III of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (c.41). Property which is subject to non-domestic rating is valued every five years, and valuation is carried out by a valuation officer. He is appointed by the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, and he has a duty to compile and maintain an accurate list of property subject to non-domestic rating (a 'rating list').
	This Department does not instruct the Valuation Office Agency in tasks relating to that duty.

Non-Domestic Rates: Ports

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by what date port businesses are required to make  (a) the first payment of part of their annual assessment and  (b) the first payment towards their arrears from 2005.

John Healey: Local authorities are responsible for the billing and collection of business rates.
	The regulations covering the procedures to be followed (Non Domestic Rating (Collection and Enforcement) (Local Lists) Regulations 1989)) are in the process of being amended to permit the payment of arrears in instalments over up to eight years where appropriate.
	The Business Rates Information Letter (BRIL) 2009/02 providing guidance and information on the impact of the changes was issued 10 February to all English billing authorities. I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.

Non-Domestic Rates: Ports

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many port businesses in which ports have not yet been assessed for their liability for non-domestic rates.

John Healey: There are two port reviews, reflecting the circumstances at 1 April 2005, that are still outstanding. Only one, at Humber Sea Terminal, is in England. The port businesses affected in these reviews are in discussion with the Valuation Office Agency and the delay in completing the reviews is at the request of the ratepayers affected.
	There will be continuous amendments into and out of the port rating assessments as changes to and occupations of properties occur over time. Where a change is required, the Valuation Office Agency is consulting with the businesses affected prior to the rating lists being amended.

Non-Profit Making Associations

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will simplify and speed up her Department's procurement procedures of in relation to social enterprise.

Sadiq Khan: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer of 18 February 2008,  Official Report, column 48W by my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Mr. Dhanda).
	All procurement is undertaken in line with the European Commission's procurement regulations and to obtain value for money. Communities and Local Government is committed to working with and promoting the role of social enterprise and has set up a social enterprise unit to co-ordinate this activity.

Non-Profit Making Associations

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will bring forward proposals to improve procurement procedures operated by local authorities in relation to social enterprise.

Sadiq Khan: Social enterprises can play an important role in supporting local authority objectives by bringing dynamism and innovation to the design and delivery of public services. They can also help local authorities achieve more with their money, engage local communities and stimulate new markets.
	In December 2006, Communities and Local Government, alongside other Government Departments, launched "Partnership in Public Services", an action plan for social enterprise and wider third sector engagement with public bodies, including local authorities.
	CLG also published statutory guidance to local government and its key partners earlier this year. "Creating Strong, Safe and Prosperous Communities" states local authorities should recognise and embrace diversity in the way services are provided, with the focus on desired outcomes and not whether the service is delivered by the public, private or third sectors.
	On 9 February 2009, Communities and Local Government, alongside other Government Departments, launched "Real Help for Communities: Volunteers, Charities and Social Enterprises", an action plan to support the third sector and social enterprise during the economic downturn. This highlights measures to improve commissioning and procurement practice including the National Programme for Third Sector Commissioning, which provides training to public sector commissioners to improve their in practices when working with the third sector, including social enterprise, and a national campaign among public sector finance professionals to raise awareness of the Government's commitment to pay invoices within 10 days.

Parish Councils

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the new rules for parish councils on the procedures to be followed for the appointment of additional members will come into effect; and what guidance is available if these rules are not met.

John Healey: Provisions on the power to appoint additional councillors have been inserted into the Local Government Act 1972 by section 76 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. We are aiming to bring the regulations into effect in the spring, and will publish the supporting guidance at the same time.

Racial Harassment

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department is taking to reduce racial discrimination in the workplace.

Sadiq Khan: The Department leads on the development and implementation of the cross-Government strategy for race equality and community cohesion Improving Opportunity Strengthening Society. We hope to announce shortly a further report on progress made in implementing the strategy, including in relation to the labour market.
	The legislative and practical actions relating to discrimination, including in the workplace, are the responsibility of several Departments including the Government Equalities Office and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
	Regarding the employment position, the Department for Work and Pensions, whose Minister chairs the Ethnic Minority Employment Task Force, leads on public service agreement 8 (maximising employment opportunity for all) to close the ethnic minority employment rate gap. The labour force survey figures for quarter 4 2008, which were released on Wednesday, show that the gap between the ethnic minority employment rate and the overall British employment rate has narrowed to 12.9 percentage points, compared to 14.1 percentage points a year ago (Q4, 2007).

Regional Ministers

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what responsibilities Regional Ministers have in relation to regional finance allocations.

Sadiq Khan: Regional Ministers have been tasked, within the guidance on the Regional Funding Advice exercise produced in July 2008, to work with regional partners to facilitate development of the regions' advice and broker agreement on the regions' priorities where necessary.

Regional Planning and Development: EC Grants and Loans

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much European regional aid structural funding was allocated to England between 2000 and 2006; how much of this funding had been spent by 31 December 2008; whether a request was made to the European Commission to extend the spending deadline beyond that date; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: The 2000-06 round of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programmes in England were allocated €5793 million. Over 2,900 claims by projects for reimbursement of ERDF expenditure are being processed, more made up to 31 December 2008 are still being received and we do not yet have final figures for any of the 20 English programmes.
	Government did not request extension of the spending deadline for any of the European Structural Funds programmes operating in England.

Regional Planning and Development: Finance

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what projects for which her Department is responsible are planned to be funded through the  (a) New Ventures Fund,  (b) New Deal for Communities and  (c) European Regional Development Fund in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11; and how much is planned to be spent on each such project.

Sadiq Khan: The information is as follows.
	
		
			  Funds/Year  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			  (a) New Ventures Fund 0 0 0 
			  (b) New Deal for Communities (£ million) 242 180 65 
			  (c) European Regional Development Fund (Euros million) 385 439 402 
			  Notes:  (a) New Ventures Fund (NVF). The NVF no longer exists as a funding stream.  (b) New deal for communities (NDCs). The NDC programme is a 10-year programme to regenerate 39 of the most deprived neighbourhoods across England.  (c) European Regional Development Fund. The ERDF for 2007 to 2013 is being managed by the nine regional development agencies (RDAs). The Department does not manage projects funded by ERDF. However, the Department remains the overall managing authority for the fund in England. The aim in devolving key functions and management to the RDAs was to bring the fund's programmes into line with regional economic strategies. England's ERDF allocation for 2007 to 2013 totals 3.2 billion Euros.

Regional Planning and Development: Finance

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what projects for which her Department is responsible are planned to be funded by the  (a) Government Offices for the Regions and  (b) regional development agencies in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11; and how much is planned to be spent on each such project.

Sadiq Khan: The Government offices for the regions have specific responsibility for an administration running cost budget and a capital budget.
	Programme budgets administered by the Government offices are the responsibility of the Secretaries of State for the relevant sponsor Departments. The Departments delegate authority to the regional directors to spend against their programmes, though all expenditure incurred is recorded in the accounts of the Department concerned.
	The Thames Gateway programme, now administered by the Homes and Communities Agency, includes some projects for which funding is provided to the three Greater South East regional development agencies. Funding for Invest in Thames Gateway and Parklands projects amounts to £0.827 million in 2008-09, £3.177 million in 2009-10, and £6.775 million in 2010-11. In addition, the regional development agencies' Thames Gateway Economic Development Investment Plan sets out how the £200 million joint Strategic Economic Investment Fund will be invested over the same period.
	The Department does not otherwise fund projects directly through regional development agencies. Regional development agencies are funded through the Single Programme, which is administered by their sponsor Department, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. The Department is one of six contributing Departments to the Single Programme and is contributing £1.548 billion in 2008-09, £1.585 billion in 2009-10 and £1.098 billion in 2010-11 to the Single Programme. Spending priorities for each regional development agency are set out in their corporate plans, which are available on their websites.

Regional Planning and Development: South East

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1843W, on regional development and planning: South East, in which month she expects analysis of responses to the South East plan consultation to be made available; and by what date the regional spatial strategy for the South East will be published.

Sadiq Khan: Our intention to publish an analysis of responses and the Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East remains as stated to the right hon. Member for Guildford, in the answer given on 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1843W, that is publication in the spring.

Repossession: Mortgages

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what the  (a) maximum proportion and  (b) cash value is of mortgage interest payments that can be deferred under the mortgage rescue scheme announced on 3 December 2008; and whether capital repayments can be deferred under the scheme;
	(2)  what eligibility criteria will be applied to applicants to the Mortgage Rescue Scheme.

Margaret Beckett: The Government are determined to do everything possible to ensure stability and security for those affected by the downturn in the housing market.
	For the most vulnerable home owners, who would be owed a statutory homelessness duty if repossessed, we opened the Mortgage Rescue Scheme in January 2009. This £200 million scheme will help up to 6,000 households remain in their homes. The scheme is targeted on families, the elderly and other vulnerable households.
	On 3 December 2008, the Prime Minister announced additional support for home owners facing financial difficulties through a new Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme. The new scheme should enable households that experience a significant and temporary loss of income as a result of the economic downturn to defer a proportion of the interest payments on their mortgage for up to two years, providing they meet the scheme eligibility criteria. The Government will guarantee the lender against a proportion of any loss incurred on the deferred interest payments in case the borrower defaults. The guarantee will not apply to deferred payments of capital.
	I wrote to lenders detailing the proposed key elements of the scheme in December. This letter is available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/homeownersmortgagesupport
	and we will shortly publish confirmation of the final scheme description.
	Legal authority to proceed with the scheme was obtained in the Banking Act, which received Royal Assent on 12 February 2009.

WALES

Apprentices

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales with reference to the answer of 9 July 2008,  Official Report, column 1581W, on apprentices, what progress his Department has made towards meeting its share of the Government's commitment to employ over 1,000 apprentices in central Government departments and agencies in 2008-09; and how many apprentices his Department now employs.

Paul Murphy: The Wales Office is unable to provide apprenticeships due to the small size of the Department and the nature of its work.

Departmental Buildings

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) display energy certificates and  (b) advisory reports for public buildings issued in respect of each property occupied by his Department.

Paul Murphy: My Department will place in the Library a copy of the display energy certificate and associated advisory reports in respect of the Wales Office's London building.
	In Cardiff, my Department leases space in a larger office building, whose owner assesses the energy efficiency of the building as a whole.

Departmental Public Appointments

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the public appointments for which his Department is responsible are due to be  (a) renewed and  (b) filled in the next 24 months; what the (i) remit, (ii) salary, (iii) political restriction, (iv) eligibility requirement and (v) timetable for each appointment is; and what records his Department keeps in respect of such appointments.

Paul Murphy: Following the devolution settlement in 1999, responsibility for the majority of public appointments that were made by the Secretary of State for Wales was transferred to the National Assembly for Wales.
	The exception is appointments to the Boundary Commission Wales. More detailed information about individual appointments is set out in the Boundary Commission Wales' Annual Report. Vacancies may be advertised on the Cabinet Office Public Appointments website at:
	www.publicappointments.gov.uk
	The process for making a public appointment, including guidance on political activity and eligibility criteria, follows the Cabinet Office publication "Making and Managing Public Appointments". For appointments regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the appointments process also complies with the "Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies".
	Copies are in the Libraries of the House.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcohol Disorder Zones

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the Answer to the right hon. Member for Beaconsfield of 18 December 2008,  Official Report, column 1069W, on alcohol disorder zones, what assessment she has made of the reasons for no notice of the proposal to designate an alcohol disorder zone having been made to her Department by that date.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office has been clear that an alcohol disorder zone (ADZ) should only be used as a measure of last resort, after all other tools and powers have been tried. ADZs only came into force in June 2008 and we have committed to report to Parliament in June 2009 on how many have been used.

Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have taken place for the offence of selling alcohol to children on more than one occasion since 2003.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 21 January 2009
	 For prosecution data for the offence of selling alcohol to children I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 3 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1025-34W.
	The Ministry of Justice publishes statistics on reoffending, but figures are not available for individual offences.
	For the offence of persistently selling alcohol to a person under 18 no data are currently available. Section 147A of the Licensing Act 2003 (as amended by the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006) came into effect in April 2007. Court proceedings data for 2008 will be available in autumn 2009.

Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what data  (a) her Department and  (b) police forces collate on (i) knife crime, (ii) youth crime and (iii) crimes and incidents in which alcohol represents a characteristic or motivating factor.

Jacqui Smith: The police forces of England and Wales will collect data depending on their own operational needs and priorities. The extent of what is collected is likely to be greater than what is requested by the Home Office, and will differ between police forces.
	The Home Office collects crime data in two main ways: crimes recorded by the police; and the British Crime Survey (BCS), a victimisation survey covering adults aged 16 and over, living in private households in England and Wales. In January 2009 the BCS was extended to include under-16s. Other data may be collected on an ad hoc basis; this is included where relevant.
	 Knife Crime
	The Home Office receives aggregated recorded crime data from the police forces for a wide range of offences. Since April 2007, the Home Office began to collect data on the numbers of offences where a knife or sharp instrument has been involved for selected offences: attempted murder, robbery and GBH. This was in addition to homicide, where offences including a knife were already covered by the homicide index collection, a more detailed individual record collection from police forces. The knife crime collection was extended in April 2008 to cover the additional offences of threats to kill, ABH, rape and sexual assault.
	In addition to these returns, a separate data collection has been established as part of the Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP). TKAP is a time limited initiative which aims to tackle the possession of knives and knife related serious violence among young people in 10 police force areas in England and Wales. The programme started in June 2008 and is planned to finish in March 2009. A programme of monitoring has been established to assess progress and recorded crime information on knife and sharp instrument related homicide, attempted murder, threats to kill, GBH, ABH, robbery and possession offences are collected from the ten forces. Other information such as the age of victim and suspect and whether the incident is counted as domestic violence are also collected.
	Findings from the TKAP will be published after its completion.
	The BCS collects information on weapons, including knives, used in incidents of violent crime. Figures on the proportion of violent incidents involving knives are published regularly in the annual Crime in England and Wales publication.
	Copies of these publications are available in the House of Commons Library (the most recent publication is Crime in England and Wales 2007/08).
	The Offending, Crime and Justice Survey (OCJS), which ran between 2003 and 2006 and focused on young people aged 10 to 25 living in private households in England and Wales, asked questions on knife carrying. Figures for the proportion of young people aged 10 to 25 who reported carrying a knife in the past year (and further details, including their motivations for doing so) were published regularly in the annual reports on the survey. Annual publications are available on the RDS website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/offending_survey.html
	 Youth crime
	The BCS has covered only adults aged 16 and over until January 2009 when the BCS was extended to cover 10 to 15 year olds.
	The Offending, Crime and Justice Survey (OCJS), which ran between 2003 and 2006 and focused on young people aged 10 to 25 living in private households in England and Wales, asked questions about the experience of young people as both offenders and victims of crime. The results from the surveys have been published in a series of annual publications available on the RDS website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/offending_survey.html
	Police recorded crime does not specifically collect data on youth crime, although age of suspect is recorded in the homicide collection.
	 Alcohol-related crime
	The BCS asks respondents who have been victims of violent crime whether they believed the offender to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. Figures on the proportion of violent incidents where the victim believed the offender to be under the influence of alcohol are regularly published in the annual Crime in England and Wales publication. Copies of these publications are available in the House of Commons Library (the most recent publication is Crime in England and Wales 2007-08).
	Police recorded crime does not specifically collect data on alcohol related incidents, although whether the suspect has been drinking alcohol or not is included in the homicide collection. Furthermore, data on breath tests are collected including how many are positive or refused.

Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were charged with each type of alcohol-related offence in (a) the year before and  (b) the year following the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003.

Jacqui Smith: Charging data are not held centrally.

Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for being drunk and disorderly there have been in each of the last 15 years.

Jacqui Smith: The number of persons found guilty at all courts for being drunk and disorderly in England and Wales, from 1993 to 2007, the latest available, are given in table 1.
	Additionally, penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) are available for issue for this offence. The number of PNDs issued to persons aged 16 and over for being drunk and disorderly from 2004, when the scheme was implemented in all 43 police forces in England and Wales, to 2007 are given in table 2.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of persons found guilty at all courts for drunk and disorderly related offences in England and Wales, from 1993 to 2007( 1,2,3) 
			   Number 
			 1993 17,858 
			 1994 19,217 
			 1995 18,828 
			 1996 23,337 
			 1997 27,910 
			 1998 29,974 
			 1999 28,006 
			 2000(4) 26,274 
			 2001 25,632 
			 2002 26,254 
			 2003 27,044 
			 2004 20,420 
			 2005 15,399 
			 2006 14,995 
			 2007 16,767 
			 (1) Data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Data include the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Being found drunk in a highway or other Public place whether a building or not, or a licensed premises. Licensing Act 1872 sec. 12. Any person who in any public place is guilty, while drunk, of disorderly behaviour. Criminal Justice Act 1967 sec.91. (3 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Staffordshire police force were only able to submit sample data for persons proceeded against and convicted in the magistrates courts for the year 2000. Although sufficient to estimate higher orders of data, these data are not robust enough at a detailed level and have been excluded from the table.  Source: Court proceedings data held by CJEA—Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Ministry of Justice 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of penalty notices for disorder issued to persons aged 16 and over for offences of being drunk and disorderly( 1)  in England and Wales from 2004 to 2007( 2) 
			   Number 
			 2004 29,106 
			 2005 40,176 
			 2006 46,268 
			 2007 49,062 
			 (1) Data include the following offence descriptions and corresponding statutes: Being found drunk in a highway or other public place, whether a building or not, or on licensed premises—Licensing Act 1872, section 12; Being guilty while drunk of disorderly behaviour—Criminal Justice Act 1967, section 91. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Office for Criminal Justice Reform—Evidence and Analysis Unit.

Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 713-4W, on alcoholic drinks: crime, how many of those found guilty of refusing to obey an instruction to stop drinking in a designated public place in each of the last five years received a fine of  (a) up to £100,  (b) £101 to £250 and  (c) over £250.

Jacqui Smith: The number of people fined, and the level of fines received, for refusing to stop drinking and surrender alcohol in a designated public place can be found in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of persons fined for drinking alcohol in a designated public place, by amount, all courts 2007 
			   Up to £100  £101 to £250  Over £250  Total 
			 2003 71 1 1 73 
			 2004 76 2 — 78 
			 2005 61 2 — 63 
			 2006 58 1 — 59 
			 2007 71 4 1 76 
			  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: OMS Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice (2003-2006) Ref: AHA378-08 (15 October 2008) (2007) Ref: Sent (OMSAS) 025-09 (4 February 2009)

Alcoholic Drinks: Crime

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in the Chelmsford division of the Essex police force area were charged with alcohol-related offences in the year  (a) before and  (b) following the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003; and with which offences such people were charged.

Alan Campbell: Charging data are not held centrally.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received on the use of under 18 year olds by police forces for test purchases of alcohol in pubs.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office has not received any recent representations on the use of under 18s in respect of test purchases. However, officials have regular discussions with both ACPO and, during campaigns, with individual police forces on a number of issues encompassing their enforcement work, including the use of test purchases.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the use of those aged under 18 in making test purchases of alcohol in public houses on behalf of the police.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 19 February 2009
	The Government encourage local areas to undertake test purchasing to ensure that alcohol is not sold to children, but the use of those aged under 18 in test purchase operations is a local operational matter, and as such is a matter for the chief constable. However, both ACPO and LACORS have produced guidance on this matter.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) individuals and  (b) establishments have been prosecuted for selling alcohol to minors in (i) Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency, (ii) each local authority area and (iii) England in the last 12 months.

Alan Campbell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 3 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1025-34W. Information held on court proceedings cannot be broken down by constituency or local authority area. The table as referred to holds the data requested broken down by police force area and for England and Wales.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) individuals and  (b) establishments have been prosecuted for selling alcohol to under age people in (i) Stroud District Council area, (ii) Gloucestershire and (iii) south west England in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 3 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1025-1034W. Information held on court proceedings cannot be broken down by council area. The table as referred to holds the data requested broken down by police force area which includes Gloucestershire police force. Data for the south-west region include Devon and Cornwall constabulary, Dorset police, Avon and Somerset constabulary, Wiltshire constabulary, and Gloucestershire constabulary.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) individuals and  (b) establishments have been prosecuted for selling alcohol to under-age people in (i) Hemel Hempstead and (ii) Hertfordshire in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 3 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1025-34W. Information held on court proceedings cannot be broken down by individual areas so data on Hemel Hempstead is not available. The table as referred to holds the data requested broken down by police force area which includes Hertfordshire police force.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to discourage the selling of alcohol to underage people in public houses.

Alan Campbell: The Government take the issue of selling alcohol to under-age people very seriously indeed. The Home Secretary announced in her speech on 6 February 2008, that a number of new measures and possible steps would be taken to crack down on crime and antisocial behaviour which is fuelled by alcohol. This includes highlighting the message that it is not acceptable for young people to drink in public places.
	The Home Office co-ordinated enforcement campaigns have provided support to police and trading standard officers in the use of the extensive powers available under the Licensing Act 2003 in relation to children. Indeed successive Alcohol Misuse and Enforcement Campaigns (AMECs) from 2004 and Tackling Underage Sales of Alcohol Campaigns (TUSAC) since 2006 have reduced the test purchase failure rate from approximately 50 per cent. to approximately 15 per cent. Additionally, we have recently launched a new £4.5 million enforcement campaign in 190 areas, with a particular focus on the 50 areas of most concern to us from January to March 2009. The Home Office also supports the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS), as well as initiatives which seek to reduce the number of under-age sales such as "Challenge 21".
	The Government have also introduced legislation to create an enabling power to introduce a new mandatory code of practice for alcohol retailers and to take forward the legislative announcements as set out in the written ministerial statement following the Licensing Act review and the Youth Alcohol Action Plan, namely: the creation of a new offence of persistent possession of alcohol in a public place by a person aged under 18, and amending the 'persistent selling' offence from three sales to an under 18 in three months, to two sales in three months.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) quantity and  (b) value of alcohol was confiscated under the Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997 in each year since its implementation.

Alan Campbell: Information collected centrally and held on the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database does not identify the quantity or value of alcohol confiscated under the terms of the Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997.
	However an alcohol confiscation campaign took place in February 2008 following a pilot in October 2007. 165 out of the 227 basic command units (BCUs) took part in the campaign and the result was that over 21,000 litres of alcohol (70 per cent. beer) was confiscated in over 5,000 separate seizures from individuals and groups of more than 23,000 young people. Activity in both campaigns focussed on school holidays and weekends when young people were most likely to be engaged in this activity.

Animal Experiments

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) larvae,  (b) embryos and  (c) foetuses were used in animal scientific procedures in each of the last three years.

Meg Hillier: The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 protects animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. Protected animals include immature vertebrate animals, in the case of a mammal, bird or reptile from halfway through gestation or incubation and in any other case, including immature forms of Octopus vulgaris, when they become capable of independent feeding.
	We have no reliable data from which to estimate the numbers of immature forms used during the period in question. For the purpose of the annual statistical report of animal use project licence holders are required to declare if immature forms have been used, but not to provide estimates of the numbers used. This is because, in the case of some immature forms, such as fish fry, it is impossible to count and record accurately the numbers used for work licensed under the Act.
	I would refer the hon. Member to that document.

Assaults on Police

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sickness days were taken due to assault in each police force in 2007-08; how many days were lost per police officer on average due to assault in that year; and what the cost to each police force was.

Vernon Coaker: The data provided here on sickness days due to assault are a supplementary series collected on behalf and released with the approval of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). These data are normally used for inspection purposes only.
	The requested data for 2007-08 are given in the table.
	The requested information on days lost per officer and costs to each force are not collected centrally within the police personnel statistics series.
	
		
			  Number of police officer working days lost due to assaults( 1) : 2007-08 
			   Number 
			 Avon and Somerset 566 
			 Bedfordshire 219 
			 Cambridgeshire 120 
			 Cheshire 75 
			 Cleveland 77 
			 Cumbria (2)— 
			 Derbyshire 143 
			 Devon and Cornwall 188 
			 Dorset (2)— 
			 Durham 138 
			 Dyfed-Powys 154 
			 Essex 252 
			 Gloucestershire 47 
			 Greater Manchester 832 
			 Gwent 122 
			 Hampshire 191 
			 Hertfordshire (2)— 
			 Humberside (2)— 
			 Kent 431 
			 Lancashire 596 
			 Leicestershire (2)— 
			 Lincolnshire 344 
			 London, City of 2 
			 Merseyside 407 
			 Metropolitan Police 5,848 
			 Norfolk 162 
			 Northamptonshire 6 
			 Northumbria 1,075 
			 North Wales 133 
			 North Yorkshire (2)— 
			 Nottinghamshire 179 
			 South Wales (2)— 
			 South Yorkshire 69 
			 Staffordshire 174 
			 Suffolk 208 
			 Surrey 69 
			 Sussex 276 
			 Thames Valley (2)— 
			 Warwickshire 24 
			 West Mercia 354 
			 West Midlands 1,166 
			 West Yorkshire 691 
			 Wiltshire (2)— 
			 (1) Provisional data taken from a supplementary series collected on behalf of HMIC and used for inspection purposes only. Data have not undergone usual quality assurance practices (including validation with individual police forces) and are therefore supplied for information purposes only. (2) Data not available. Force was not able to supply data at the time of collection.

Assaults on Police

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were  (a) shot at,  (b) injured in shootings and  (c) killed in shootings in each police force area in 2007-08.

Vernon Coaker: The requested information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Crimes recorded by the police in which firearms (excluding air weapons) were fired and the principle victim was a police officer on duty: England and Wales, 2007-08 
			  Number of offences 
			  Police force area  Total  Total resulting in injury( 1)  Total resulting in fatal injury 
			  North East Region
			 Cleveland — — — 
			 Durham — — — 
			 Northumbria — — — 
			 
			  North West Region
			 Cheshire — — — 
			 Cumbria — — — 
			 Greater Manchester 2 1 — 
			 Lancashire 7 7 — 
			 Merseyside 4 1 — 
			 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber Region
			 Humberside — — — 
			 North Yorkshire — — — 
			 South Yorkshire — — — 
			 West Yorkshire 1 1 — 
			 
			  East Midlands Region
			 Derbyshire — — — 
			 Leicestershire — — — 
			 Lincolnshire — — — 
			 Northamptonshire — — — 
			 Nottinghamshire 2 1 — 
			 
			  West Midlands Region
			 Staffordshire — — — 
			 Warwickshire 1 1 — 
			 West Mercia 2 1 1 
			 West Midlands 4 3 — 
			 
			  East of England Region
			 Bedfordshire — — — 
			 Cambridgeshire — — — 
			 Essex — — — 
			 Hertfordshire — — — 
			 Norfolk — — — 
			 Suffolk 1 — — 
			 
			  London Region 6 1 — 
			 
			  South East Region
			 Hampshire — — — 
			 Kent — — — 
			 Surrey — — — 
			 Sussex — — — 
			 Thames Valley 2 2 — 
			 
			  South West Region
			 Avon and Somerset 1 — — 
			 Devon and Cornwall — — — 
			 Dorset — — — 
			 Gloucestershire 1 — — 
			 Wiltshire — — — 
			 
			  Wales
			 Dyfed-Powys — — — 
			 Gwent — — — 
			 North Wales — — — 
			 South Wales — — — 
			 
			 England and Wales 34 19 1 
			 (1) Includes slight, serious (which necessitated detention in hospital or involved fractures, concussion, severe general shock, penetration by a bullet or multiple shot wounds) and fatal injuries.

Assaults on Police: Young People

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on police officers by people under the age of 16 have been recorded in each police force area in each of the last 10 years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally. Offences of assault without injury on a constable are available in the police recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office. However, no data are available on the alleged offender and we are not, therefore, able to provide any age breakdowns.

Asylum: Democratic Republic of Congo

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) nationals have been forcibly removed from the UK to the DRC in each of the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The requested information is not available; however the following table shows the number of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) nationals who were removed or departed voluntarily from the United Kingdom to the DRC in each of the last 12 months for which published information is available (October 2007-September 2008).
	Figures for the fourth quarter of 2008 will be published on 24 February 2009.
	Published statistics on immigration and asylum are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  Enforced removals and voluntary departures after enforcement action had been initiated( 1) , Nationals of Democratic Republic of Congo to the Democratic Republic of Congo, October 2007 to September 2008( 2,5) 
			  Number of removals 
			   Asylum cases( 3,4)  Non-asylum cases 
			  2007   
			 October 5 — 
			 November 10 — 
			 December 5 5 
			  2008   
			 January 5 * 
			 February 10 * 
			 March 5 5 
			 April 5 5 
			 May * * 
			 June * * 
			 July * 5 
			 August * * 
			 September — * 
			
			 Total October 2007-September 2008 45 25 
			 (1) Figures include persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them, persons who it has been established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities, persons leaving under Facilitated Return Schemes and removals performed by Immigration Officers using port powers of removal and a small number of cases dealt with at juxtaposed controls. (2) Figures rounded to the nearest 5 (— = 0, * = 1 or 2) and may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding. (3) Persons who had sought asylum at some stage, including dependants. (4) Due to a reclassification of removal categories, figures include asylum removals which have been performed by Enforcement Officers using port powers of removal and a small number of cases dealt with at juxtaposed controls. (5) Provisional figures.

Asylum: Democratic Republic of Congo

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Democratic Republic of Congo nationals have been refused asylum but have not left the UK whilst exercising a right of appeal to remain.

Phil Woolas: Information on how many Democratic Republic of Congo nationals have been refused asylum is published annually and quarterly. Annual figures are available in Table 3.3 of Asylum Statistics United Kingdom.
	Information on how many people have not left the UK while exercising a right of appeal is not available. This is due to the fact that an appellant may leave the UK voluntarily without informing the UK Border Agency. While an appellant is exercising their right of appeal they are not a failed asylum seeker and therefore are not removable until their appeal rights are exhausted.
	Information on persons who it has been established left the UK without informing the immigration authorities in 2005-08 will be published in Tables 7 a-c of the "Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom—Q4 2008" bulletin on 24 February 2009. It is not possible to say what stage in the asylum process the returnees have reached at the time they have left the UK.
	Copies of these publications are/will be available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html

Asylum: Democratic Republic of Congo

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Democratic Republic of Congo nationals are being held in detention pending possible deportation; and how many were being so held in each of the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: As at 11 February there were 33 Democratic Republic of Congo nationals being held in immigration detention pending their removal from the UK.
	Numbers for those held in each of the last 12 months is not recorded centrally and could be provided only by checking individual records which would be at disproportionate cost.

Asylum: Finance

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) administrative cost of appraising entitlement to section 4 support,  (b) administrative cost of running an appeals system for those refused support under section 4,  (c) the cost of printing, distributing and operating the use of vouchers for asylum seekers and  (d) total cost of administering the voucher scheme for asylum seekers was in the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The way that data on the costs of providing section 4 support are recorded does not enable the separate collation of the administrative costs of appraising entitlement to section 4 support, as distinct from other costs such as consultancy, travel, office services and training.
	Responsibility for running the Asylum Support Tribunal, which hears appeals by those refused asylum support or for whom asylum support is discontinued, rests with the Ministry of Justice, not the Home Office. Appeals may relate to support under sections 4 or 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
	The costs of printing section 4 vouchers and administering and distributing those vouchers is included within the unit costs paid to accommodation providers under the UK Border Agency's target contracts. It is not an additional cost. Consequently it is not possible to provide a figure for the overall costs of administering section 4 vouchers.

Asylum: Finance

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements she has made with local authorities in response to their representations about a shortfall in their funding for dealing with asylum seekers in the years before the 2006-07 financial year.

Phil Woolas: All claims from authorities for support for adults and families and UASCs have now been agreed and paid in with the exception of two London authorities, where the agency has recently made a final settlement offer following discussions with the authorities.
	UKBA has paid all standard grant payments for UASC for the financial years up to and including 2007-08. UKBA has also agreed and paid all UASC special circumstances claims up to and including 2007-08.
	DCSF and UKBA reached agreement with the Local Government Association and London Councils on the settlement of claims for leaving care expenditure up to and including 2007-08. Payments have been made to individual local authorities covered by the agreement.

Asylum: Housing

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average weekly cost of accommodating an asylum seeker on  (a) section 4 and  (b) section 95 support was in the last 12 months.

Jacqui Smith: During 2007-08 the accommodation element of section 4 support was an average of £97 per person per week and the accommodation element of section 95 support was £96 per person per week.

Asylum: Housing

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional average unit cost per asylum seeker is paid to accommodation providers to administer the provision of vouchers for those eligible for section 4 support.

Jacqui Smith: The cost for the administration and provision of vouchers is included within the unit cost paid to accommodation providers under the target contracts; it is not an additional cost.

Borders: Illegal Immigrants

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what means her Department uses to monitor which points of entry to the UK are used most frequently by illegal immigrants.

Jacqui Smith: The UK Border Agency continually uses risk assessment processes to provide a national picture of the risks posed at points of entry to the UK, the risk assessment process uses up to date national and international intelligence. It also takes into account the numbers of immigrants prevented from gaining entry into the UK illegally through clandestine methods, as well as those arriving without adequate documentation.
	These assessments inform the decision on the level of front line resources deployed to points of entry to the UK. It is longstanding policy not to divulge details of operational deployment, as this could provide information of value to those seeking to circumvent controls.

British Nationality

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column 280W, on British nationality, under what circumstances a requirement to attend a citizenship ceremony would have national security implications sufficient to give grounds to exempt an applicant from attendance.

Jacqui Smith: Citizenship ceremonies are public events often attended by many people. Exemption may be considered appropriate where, for example, it is deemed necessary to protect the identity of the person becoming British and ensure his or her safety.

British Nationality: Overseas Students

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether time spent in the UK by a foreign national on a student visa counts towards the qualifying period for UK citizenship.

Phil Woolas: The qualifying period of residence for naturalisation as a British citizen is five years (or three if married to a British citizen). Currently time spent in the UK on a student visa will count towards this qualifying period.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much Cambridgeshire Constabulary spent on translation and interpretation services provided by Language Line Services Limited in each month since May 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 27 January 2009
	Figures are not held centrally by the Home Office. However, Cambridgeshire constabulary have advised that the annual spend on translation and interpretation services provided by Language Line Services Ltd was: £54,929.55 in 2004-05; £64,209.62 in 2005-06; £73,871.88 2006-07; and £42,698.40 in 2007-08.

Cannabis: Crime

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people  (a) were arrested and  (b) received on-the-spot fines for possession of cannabis in 2008.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, police force area and age group, covering categories such as violence against the person, robbery and drug offences. From these centrally reported data we are not able to identify specific offences from within the main offence groups.
	The offence of possession of cannabis was added to the penalty notice for disorder (PND) scheme on 28 January 2009. No PNDs were therefore issued in 2008; data for 2009 should be published by the Ministry of Justice in November 2010.

Cannabis: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence her Department holds on the relationship between the use of cannabis and the level of criminal activity to fund such use within  (a) Cumbria and  (b) Copeland in the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The Department does not hold evidence on the relationship between use of cannabis and the level of criminal activity to fund such use within Cumbria and Copeland.
	Much of the research evidence on the links between acquisitive crime and drug use points to Class A or 'problem' drug use as having the strongest links and as such there is little evidence on the links between cannabis use and crime.
	Specific data on cannabis possession are only available from 2004-05 onwards. This is because prior to this, possession offences did not distinguish between cannabis and non-cannabis offences.
	The number of recorded offences for possession of cannabis for Copeland and Cumbria, for the period 2003-04 to 2007-08, are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Recorded offences of possession of controlled drugs (cannabis) for the Copeland Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) and Cumbria police force area, 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			  Area  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Copeland CDRP  86 71 78 79 
			 Cumbria PFA  729 659 603 675 
			  Note: Possession of controlled drugs offences were split with effect from April 2004 into (i) possession of cannabis and (ii) possession of drugs other than cannabis.  Source: HO Crux-Matrix database

Children in Care: Missing Persons

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have gone missing from local authority care in Southampton and the surrounding area in the last 12 months.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on the number of looked-after-children that have gone missing from Southampton local authority in the year ending 31 March 2008 can be found in table LAB5, taken from the Statistical First Release (SFR 23/2008) entitled 'Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2008'. This table shows the number of looked-after-children who went missing from local authority care during the years ending 31 March 2006 to 2008.
	The SFR is located at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000810/index.shtml
	and table LAB5 can be found within the Excel link labelled third set of additional tables.

Community Relations: Finance

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1277W, on community relations: finance, to whom the £480,000 fee was paid for the copyright of the Kids Taskforce DVD, Watch Over Me.

Vernon Coaker: £480,000 was given to the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to pay for the copyright of the Kids Taskforce Watch Over Me DVDs for three years supplemented by 60 training days for teachers and partners. ACPO, DCSF and the Home Office are working with the Kids Taskforce on the national roll out of the DVD.

Counterfeit Manufacturing

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to reduce levels of  (a) extortion and  (b) trade in counterfeit goods in England; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: An effective operational response from the law enforcement authorities is the principal means of reducing levels of extortion attempts. Recorded crime figures for blackmail—under which extortion offences are recorded—in 2007-08 were 1,197, their lowest recorded level for six years.
	The national strategy for tackling intellectual property theft is being led by the Intellectual Property Office for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills is responsible.

Credit Cards: Fraud

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether credit card fraud reported to banks is included in the  (a) British Crime Survey and  (b) reported crime figures.

Jacqui Smith: The annual Home Office statistical bulletin, Crime in England and Wales, reports on the scale of credit card fraud from a variety of sources including questions in the British Crime Survey, categories of police recorded crime offences and counts from APACS, the UK Payments Association.

Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes have been recorded in each  (a) parliamentary constituency and  (b) local authority area in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: Statistics are not collected specifically on a parliamentary constituency basis. Statistics for total recorded crime at local authority level are available only from 2000-01 onwards and are given in the tables placed in the House Library.

Crime Prevention

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much each Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership cost to run in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The cost to run each Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership varies around the country according to local arrangements. The normal practice is for partners—most usually the local police and local authority but also other local agencies—to contribute staff time and other resources. This is not measured centrally.

Crime Prevention

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library a copy of the 'How secure is your home?'; online score card.

Alan Campbell: A copy of the 'How secure is your home?' online score card has been placed in the Library.

Crime Prevention: Offensive Weapons

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to support local anti-knife crime campaigns.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 9 February 2009
	The Home Office appointed an agency in October 2008 to support local organisations in the delivery of anti-knife crime campaigns. As part of this work, we have developed a website:
	www.itdoesnthavetohappen.co.uk/stakeholders
	which acts as a hub of information and advice for running such campaigns as well as a platform to share good practice from around the country. We have also developed two toolkits, one for local stakeholders who want to run their own campaigns to tackle knife crime and a campaigning toolkit for young people themselves, to help them spread the message to their peers.

Crime: Statistics

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which criminal offences are included in the official crime figures but excluded from the British Crime Survey.

Jacqui Smith: The official crime figures are compiled from both police recorded crime and the British Crime Survey (BCS). The two are a complementary series and together these provide a more comprehensive picture of crime than could be obtained from either series alone.
	Prior to January 2009 the BCS was restricted to adults living in the general household population in England and Wales. Since then the survey has been extended to children 10 years and over.
	The BCS does not include offences committed against children under 10 years or those where the victim is not in the resident household population, such as private and public sector organisations, tourists, residents of institutions and the homeless. The survey also excludes drug offences and homicide because it is based on interviews with individual victims.

Crime: Statistics

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes she plans to make to the national crime recording standard.

Jacqui Smith: There are no current plans to change the national crime recording standard.

Crime: Young People

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of reported crime was committed by people under the age of 16 years in the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not collected centrally. While the Home Office collects statistics on the number of offences recorded by the police, no information is collected on the age of the alleged offenders.

Crimes of Violence

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many violent crimes were recorded by the British Crime Survey in each of the last 10 years where the offender was  (a) under school age,  (b) of school age,  (c) between 16 and 24,  (d) between 25 and 40 and  (e) over 40 years old, broken down by offences committed (i) in the home, (ii) at work, (iii) in the street, (iv) in a public house or club, (v) on public transport and (vi) at another location.

Alan Campbell: Analyses of the circumstances of violent crime as described by victims interviewed by the British Crime Survey (BCS) are published annually by the Home Office. The most recent analysis for the 2006-07 BCS was published as part of Supplementary Volume 3 to Crime in England and Wales 2006-07, a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library.
	Tables from 1996 onwards are also available on-line as follows:
	1996 to 2002-03: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/violent_crime_0203.xls
	2003-04: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/violent_crime_0304.xls
	2004-05: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/violent_crime_0405.xls
	2005-06: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/violent_crime_0506.xls
	2006-07: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/violent_crime_0607.xls
	These include separate breakdowns of the age of offenders and the location of incidents. However, providing estimates for the combined breakdowns requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Crimes of Violence

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many violent crimes were recorded in each of the last 10 years where the victim was  (a) under school age,  (b) of school age,  (c) between 16 and 24,  (d) between 25 and 40 and  (e) over 40 years old.

Alan Campbell: The requested information is not collected centrally. Police recorded crime statistics deal with aggregated data and do not give details of the victim unless defined by statute, e.g. rape of a female child under 16.
	A list of all the offence classifications within the police recorded crime series are available in Table 2.04 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Crime in England and Wales 2007/08", a copy of which is placed in the House of Commons Library.

Crimes of Violence: Football

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times section 27 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 has been applied to remove football supporters from  (a) Premier League,  (b) Championship,  (c) League One,  (d) League Two and  (e) Football Conference football grounds since the Act came into force.

Alan Campbell: Home Office does not collate statistics on the service of notices on football supporters under section 27 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006.

Crimes of Violence: Football

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many orders under section 27 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 have been served on football supporters; on how many such people those orders have been served; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 9 February 2009
	 Home Office does not collate statistics on the service of notices to football supporters under section 27 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006. Discussions are underway with the Association of Chief Police Officers, the UK Football Policing Unit and local police forces about the appropriate use of section 27 notices in policing football.

Criminal Records: Teachers

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal record checks were carried out in relation to supply teachers in the last 12 months; what the annual cost of carrying out those checks was; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: From 1 January to 31 December 2008, the latest year for which data are available, the number of disclosure applications processed by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) for individuals who have stated on their application forms the position they have applied for is a supply teacher is 44,083. The overall cost of these disclosures, assuming they were at the enhanced level, is £1,585,302 and this cost is recovered by fees.

Departmental Buildings

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) display energy certificates and  (b) advisory reports for public buildings issued in respect of each property occupied by (i) her Department and (ii) its agencies.

Phil Woolas: Copies of the Display Energy Certificates and Advisory Reports that have been obtained for Home Office buildings will be placed in the Library.

Departmental Data Protection

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the IT systems in  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies are fully accredited to the Government's security standards.

Phil Woolas: All business systems have been assessed for accreditation or are currently undergoing this process.
	The Home Office's priority is to conform to the new standards as laid out in the data handling report by the Cabinet Secretary published on 25 June 2008. The new standards build on recognised good practice and international standards for information security and are tailored to the particular circumstances of UK central government.

Departmental Foreign Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed by her Department.

Phil Woolas: Information on the number of EU foreign nationals employed within the Home Office is not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. There are currently no non-EU foreign nationals employed within Home Office HQ.
	The Criminal Records Bureau does not currently employ any EU or non-EU foreign nationals.

Departmental Offices

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on works and refurbishment to offices allocated to Ministers in her Department's buildings in the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: Nothing has been spent other than on routine minor maintenance.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the written ministerial statement of 25 November 2008,  Official Report, column 67WS, on the departmental expenditure limit 2008-09, what the reasons were for the reprofiling of £48 million expenditure for the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism programme from 2008-09 to 2009-10.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 22 January 2009
	The reprofiling of the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism £48 million from 2008-09 ensures that the funds available matches its spending forecast for 2009-10.

Departmental Research

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures there are for independent peer review of research undertaken by her Department before its publication.

Jacqui Smith: All social research that is published by the Home Office is subject to an independent peer review process. Once the research is complete, our usual practice is to send the research report to be peer reviewed by two external experts. We choose peer reviewers for their knowledge of the subject and their expertise in the methodology used for the research. In a small number of cases, the Department instead gives permission for the research to be published by external contractors who completed the work. These cases are externally peer reviewed wherever possible.
	Copies of our peer review proformas are available on the Home Office website at:
	http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/aboutrds3.html
	Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) publications are subject to a peer review process appropriate to the nature of the publication before being made publicly available on our website, or where protectively marked before being delivered to our customers.
	http://scienceandresearch.homeoffice.gov.uk/hosdb/publications/
	The review process is tailored to the publication type and can include review by internal peers, review by qualified colleagues in other Government Departments, review by academic partners or where HOSDB do publish purely scientific results in peer reviewed international journals. HOSDB scientists and engineers also present results at academic conferences where this is appropriate in order to ensure that scrutiny of our science is as robust as possible.

Deportation: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column 284W, on deportation: Peterborough, for what reasons information on the number of residents in Peterborough constituency is not available.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 4 February 2009
	Information on the number of appeals lodged is published quarterly and annually. However, this information does not show who is currently appealing, only the total number of appeals lodged in the particular period. The figures are also not broken down by geographical region. Copies of Asylum Statistics Publications are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics website at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	The Case Information Database records both appeals and applicant address details. However, it is completely reliant on the quality and timeliness of the information received and input onto the database. Since we cannot ensure that this information meets the rigorous standards applied to published statistics, it is for internal use only by UK Border Agency. Ensuring the information is of sufficient quality to be issued publicly would entail a manual cross checking of a number of individual case files against these figures, which could only be completed at disproportionate cost.

Detention Centres: Death

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people died while being held in an immigration removal centre in each of the last five years, broken down by cause of death.

Phil Woolas: In the last five years there have been a total of seven deaths of detainees held in the UK Border Agency removal centres; there have been no deaths in 2009 to date.
	
		
			   Number of deaths 
			 2004 4 
			 2005 2 
			 2006 1 
			 2007 0 
			 2008 0 
			  Note: Six deaths were as a result of suicide and one, in 2004, from natural causes.

Detention Centres: Detainees

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) men,  (b) women and  (c) children are held in each immigration removal centre.

Phil Woolas: As at 12 February 2009, there were 1,984 men, 295 women and 36 children detained in the UK Border Agency removal centres. The following table provides a breakdown of these figures by centre.
	The figures given are based on management information, this information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
	
		
			  Removal centre  Males  Females  Children 
			 Campsfield House 212 0 0 
			 Colnbrook 299 0 0 
			 Dover 305 0 0 
			 Dungavel House 159 9 1 
			 Harmondsworth 250 0 0 
			 Haslar 152 0 0 
			 Lindholme 121 0 0 
			 Oakington 365 0 0 
			 Tinsley House 110 5 1 
			 Yarl's Wood 11 281 34

Detention Centres: Families

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many families have members currently held in different immigration removal centres.

Phil Woolas: We do not hold the data requested centrally and it could be provided only by checking and cross-referencing each case file individually, which would be at disproportionate cost.
	However, it is the UK Border Agency's policy to keep family members together wherever possible.

Detention Centres: Families

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many families have one or more of their members currently held in an immigration removal centre.

Phil Woolas: As at 10 February 2008 there were 44 families detained in the UK Border Agency detention estate.

Detention Centres: Visits

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors each immigration removal centre has received in each of the previous 12 months.

Phil Woolas: All those detained in a UK Border Agency Immigration Removal Centres may receive visits as they wish from family, friends and other associates. They may also receive visits from legal advisers and representatives, from ministers of religion, and from members of the Independent Monitoring Board (1MB) appointed to each centre. Records of the numbers of visitors to each removal centre are not held, either locally at the individual centres or centrally. Home Office policy is not to hold databases that are unnecessary.

Domestic Violence

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded instances of  (a) rape and  (b) domestic violence there were in each police force area in 2007-08; and what the clean-up rate for each crime was in each force in that year.

Alan Campbell: Information on the number of recorded offences of rape and the clear-up rate for these crimes in 2007-08 is given in the following table.
	From the information collected centrally on recorded crime, it is not possible to identify recorded cases of domestic violence. Such offences are not specifically defined by law and details of the individual circumstances of offences are not collected.
	
		
			  Rape offences recorded by the police and detection rates by police force area—2007-08 
			  Police force area  Number of rape offences  Detection rate (Percentage) 
			 Avon and Somerset 383 25 
			 Bedfordshire 114 18 
			 British Transport Police 17 18 
			 Cambridgeshire 214 19 
			 Cheshire 149 31 
			 Cleveland 142 30 
			 Cumbria 81 25 
			 Derbyshire 235 28 
			 Devon and Cornwall 402 17 
			 Dorset 210 18 
			 Durham 128 43 
			 Dyfed-Powys 71 20 
			 Essex 296 19 
			 Gloucestershire 141 30 
			 Greater Manchester 784 38 
			 Gwent 177 20 
			 Hampshire 595 21 
			 Hertfordshire 172 22 
			 Humberside 259 22 
			 Kent 404 26 
			 Lancashire 258 30 
			 Leicestershire 343 12 
			 Lincolnshire 162 17 
			 London, City of 3 0 
			 Merseyside 250 22 
			 Metropolitan police 1,919 33 
			 Norfolk 141 21 
			 Northamptonshire 152 21 
			 Northumbria 255 29 
			 North Wales 153 17 
			 North Yorkshire 131 26 
			 Nottinghamshire 230 25 
			 South Wales 264 42 
			 South Yorkshire 235 34 
			 Staffordshire 243 21 
			 Suffolk 170 19 
			 Surrey 148 24 
			 Sussex 309 21 
			 Thames Valley 376 19 
			 Warwickshire 107 22 
			 West Mercia 241 22 
			 West Midlands 827 25 
			 West Yorkshire 626 24 
			 Wiltshire 137 23 
			 England and Wales 12,654 26

Driving Under Influence

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people aged  (a) between 17 to 25,  (b) between 25 to 40 and  (c) 40 and over were (i) stopped on suspicion of, (ii) arrested for and (iii) charged with drink-driving in (A) Ribble Valley, (B) Lancashire and (C) England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 2 February 2009
	Data are not collected centrally on the number of people stopped on suspicion of an offence or those charged with an offence.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office is based on aggregate data and covers persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, by age group, gender, ethnicity, police force area and main offence group, for example, violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary and drugs offences.
	Offences of driving while unfit through drink are summary offences and do not feature in the arrests statistics collected by the Home Office.

Driving Under Influence

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people aged  (a) between 17 and 25,  (b) between 25 and 40 and  (c) over 40 years old were (i) stopped on suspicion of, (ii) arrested for and (iii) charged with drink-driving in (A) Southend, (B) Essex and (C) England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: Data are not collected centrally on the number of people stopped on suspicion of an offence or those charged with an offence.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office is based on aggregate data and covers persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, by age group, gender, ethnicity, police force area and main offence group, for example, violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary and drugs offences.
	Offences of driving while unfit through drink are summary offences and do not feature in the arrests statistics collected by the Home Office.

Driving Under Influence: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people aged  (a) between 17 and 24,  (b) between 25 and 40 and  (c) over 40 years old were (i) stopped on suspicion of, (ii) arrested for and (iii) charged with drink-driving offences in (A) Hemel Hempstead and (B) Hertfordshire in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: Data are not collected centrally on the number of people stopped on suspicion of an offence or those charged with an offence.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office is based on aggregate data and covers persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, by age group, gender, ethnicity, police force area and main offence group, for example violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary and drugs offences.
	Offences of driving while unfit through drink are summary offences and do not feature in the arrests statistics collected by the Home Office.

Drugs: Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the Answer of 1 September 2008,  Official Report, columns 1538-9W, on crime: statistics, how many incidents were recorded by each police force where drugs represented a characteristic or motivating factor in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested has been provided by the National Policing Improvement Agency. The data are only available for 2007-08 and are given in the table. Please note that not all forces were in a position to supply these data for 2007-08.
	It should be noted that these figures relate to the number of (non-notifiable crime) incidents where drugs represented a characteristic or motivating factor i.e. these figures should exclude all incidents which resulted in crimes being notified to the Home Office as part of the recorded crime statistics.
	
		
			  Number of (non-notifiable crime) incidents where drugs represent a characteristic or motivating factor—2007-08 
			  Police force area  Number 
			 Avon and Somerset n/a 
			 Bedfordshire 1,534 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,730 
			 Cheshire 1,452 
			 City of London n/a 
			 Cleveland 1,484 
			 Cumbria 1,370 
			 Derbyshire 1,997 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,331 
			 Dorset 2,237 
			 Durham 2,180 
			 Dyfed Powys 962 
			 Essex 2,852 
			 Gloucestershire 378 
			 Greater Manchester 10,633 
			 Gwent 2,135 
			 Hampshire 715 
			 Hertfordshire 2,489 
			 Humberside 2,992 
			 Kent 2,457 
			 Lancashire 4,553 
			 Leicestershire 2,679 
			 Lincolnshire 1,033 
			 Merseyside 4,159 
			 Metropolitan Police n/a 
			 Norfolk 2,882 
			 Northamptonshire 861 
			 Northumbria 1,665 
			 North Wales n/a 
			 North Yorkshire 1,755 
			 Nottinghamshire 7,544 
			 South Wales 3,029 
			 South Yorkshire 2,128 
			 Staffordshire 4,274 
			 Suffolk 1,367 
			 Surrey 1,819 
			 Sussex n/a 
			 Thames Valley n/a 
			 Warwickshire 778 
			 West Mercia 748 
			 West Midlands 10,918 
			 West Yorkshire 1,842 
			 Wiltshire 1,977 
			 Total 96,939 
			 n/a = Not available.

Drugs: Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of  (a) drug dealing,  (b) drug possession and  (c) unlawful production of drugs were recorded by police forces in each of the last 10 years, broken down by the classification of the drug involved.

Jacqui Smith: The Home Office recorded crime statistics currently collect data on four specific drug offences. These are trafficking in controlled drugs, possession of controlled drugs (cannabis), possession of controlled drugs (other) and other drug offences.
	Possession of cannabis offences have been recorded separately since 2004-05 and are published in Table 2.04 of 'Crime in England and Wales 2007/08', a copy of which can be accessed at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb0708chap2.xls
	With the exception of cannabis possession, the type of drug or drug classification is not collected in the recorded crime statistics.

Drugs: Misuse

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of those brought into a police station tested positive for Class A drugs in 2007-08; and what the level of voluntary treatment take-up was.

Alan Campbell: Drug testing of offenders for specified Class A drugs (heroin and cocaine/crack) in police custody takes place in 107 BCUs. Offenders arrested or charged with a "trigger offence"—largely acquisitive crime related offences—are required to provide a sample to be tested.
	The average rate of positive tests for specified Class A drugs for offenders arrested or charged with a trigger offence in 2007-08 was 38.7 per cent.
	The figure for number of offenders entering treatment through DIP includes individuals from both DIP intensive areas (i.e. the 107 BCUs operating drug testing and related interventions) and the non-intensive areas of the programme. Offenders from the DIP non-intensive BCUs are not drug tested.
	The data on the proportion of those who test positive and voluntarily agree to treatment are not available in the format requested. The Drug Interventions Programme does not routinely hold data on those entering treatment only as a result of a positive drug test.
	In 2007-08 the number of offenders entering treatment voluntarily through the Drug Interventions Programme was 43,903.

Entry Clearances

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time taken by the UK visa clearance authorities in  (a) India,  (b) Pakistan,  (c) Sri Lanka and  (d) Zimbabwe to process each stage of visa applications was in the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: Public service agreement (PSA) target times for processing visa applications during FY 2004-05 to FY 2007-08 were as follows:
	PSA 1—90 per cent. of straightforward non-settlement applications processed in 24 hours
	PSA 2—90 per cent. of non-settlement applications requiring further inquires to be processed within 15 working days
	PSA 3—90 per cent. of applicants for settlement visas to be assessed or interviewed within in 50 working days.
	Our performance against these targets in the countries specified in FY 2007-08 was as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  FY 2007-08  PSA1  PSA 2  PSA3 
			 India 92 95 97 
			 Pakistan 87 92 87 
			 Sri Lanka 72 71 56 
			 Zimbabwe 87 81 86 
			  Note: The data are unpublished and should be treated as provisional.  Source: Central Reference System, 11 February 2009 
		
	
	New Customer Service Standards for visa processing times were introduced in January 2009 and are published on the Border Agency's Visa Services website, together with actual monthly processing times for each visa-issuing post.
	These are end-to-end processing times which include processing at Visa Application Centres (run by our commercial partners) as well as processing at Visa Sections.

Extradition: USA

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been extradited from the United States to the United Kingdom since 2003.

Meg Hillier: 29 persons have been extradited from the United States to the United Kingdom since 2003. This figure does not include persons surrendered to Scotland and Northern Ireland pursuant to extradition requests made by those jurisdictions.

Fines

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what administrative financial penalties may be levied by her Department and its agencies.

Phil Woolas: The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 has provided a series of new sanctions for employers who employ illegal migrant workers. This includes a system of civil penalties, under which an employer can be fined up to £10,000 per person he/she is found to be employing illegally.
	Additionally, Bulgarian and Romanian nationals who work illegally commit a criminal offence and may be served with a fixed penalty fine of £1,000 under criminal law.
	Part II of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 enables the Secretary of State to impose a £2,000 fixed charge on any air or sea carrier for each non-European Economic Area passenger they bring to the UK who fails to produce, on request, a valid travel document satisfactorily establishing their identity and nationality and, if required, a valid visa.
	The Department can also impose a civil penalty on those responsible for carrying clandestine entrants. The maximum penalty is £2,000 per clandestine and the aggregated maximum per clandestine (applied where more than one person is responsible) is £4,000.
	The UK Borders Act 2007 enables the Secretary of State to make regulations requiring foreign nationals who are subject to immigration control to apply for an Identity Card for Foreign Nationals. Failure to comply with such a requirement may result in the imposition of a sanction, which may include a civil financial penalty up to a maximum of £1,000.
	The police forces in England and Wales have the power to issue fixed penalty notices as a sanction against a specified list of offences, mainly related to public order (Penalty Notices for Disorder) and motoring.
	For the Department's agencies, no penalties are levied.

Genetics: Databases

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people resident in Northern Ireland have details registered on the National DNA Database.

Alan Campbell: The number of subject profiles on the National DNA Database (NDNAD) submitted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) was 65,082 as at 3 February 2009.
	The NDNAD does not hold any information on the place of residence of a person whose DNA is sampled. This figure therefore includes residents of areas other than Northern Ireland who were sampled by the PSNI, and excludes residents of Northern Ireland who were sampled by other police forces.
	The number of profiles held on the NDNAD is not the same as the number of individuals. As it is possible for a profile to be loaded onto the NDNAD on more than one occasion, some profiles held on the NDNAD are replicates. This can occur if, for example, a person provided different names, or different versions of their name, when arrested on different occasions. At present, the average replication rate on the whole NDNAD is estimated to be 13.3 per cent. However, this figure may vary between police forces.

Genetics: Databases

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2009,  Official Report, column 710W, on genetics: database, what steps she plans to take to comply with the S and Harper judgment in relation to retention of DNA information from people not convicted of a crime.

Alan Campbell: I refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 29 January 2009,  Official Report, column 809W.

Human Trafficking: Females

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps she has taken to reduce levels of trafficking of women for sexual exploitation.

Alan Campbell: We continue to make good progress towards the 85 action points contained in our Action Plan to combat trafficking and we shall publish the annual update to this plan later in the year.
	On 17 December 2008, the UK ratified Council of Europe convention on trafficking in human beings. This represents a major milestone in the fight against human trafficking.
	We have introduced proposed legislative changes under the Policing and Crime Bill to make it an offence to purchase sex from a woman controlled for gain or who has been trafficked, as part of our strategy to reduce demand for trafficked women.
	In addition to this, the Serious Organised Crime Agency has programmes of activity to combat organised immigration crime including human trafficking focusing on source and transit countries and trafficking into and within the UK.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what categories of person required to apply for identity cards are required to obtain certification of any criminal convictions.

Meg Hillier: The Identity Cards Act 2006 establishes the concept of a designated document. When an individual applies for a designated document they will also be required to apply for an identity card.
	Secondary legislation, due to come before Parliament shortly, proposes the designation of criminal conviction certificates that have been applied for by airside workers who would be expected to produce the criminal conviction certificate before they were issued with an airside pass.
	The draft secondary legislation is included in the Identity Cards Act Secondary Legislation consultation document which is available at:
	http://www.ips.gov.uk/identity/downloads/NIS_Legislation.pdf
	I would refer the hon. Member to that document.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she plans to take to encourage the voluntary uptake of identity cards by British nationals in pilot areas.

Meg Hillier: It was announced in November that we wanted to find a way to give members of the public who already see the benefits of ID cards a chance to get one this year.
	The Identity and Passport Service have been working hard to make this happen and will launch a website on DirectGov in the next few months. The site will give the public a wealth of information about how to best prove and protect their identity, as well as keeping people updated about how they can apply for an identity card.
	Further work to publicise identity cards is being planned.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of non-enrolment biometric checks against  (a) an identity card and  (b) the National Identity Register which will be made during the lifetime of the temporary register.

Meg Hillier: When we begin to issue identity cards from the second half of this year we will issue real identity cards backed up by the National Identity Register. This will not be a temporary register.
	The early rollout stages of the national identity scheme will involve a limited number of individuals and so we would expect that initially very few biometric checks will be made.

Illegal Immigrants: Deportation

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the 3,300 illegal immigrants identified by the UK Border Agency between April and November 2008 have been removed from the UK.

Phil Woolas: Published information on removals is provided in the quarterly asylum statistics. These are available in the Library of the House, and can also be accessed at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/immiq308.pdf

Immigrants: Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded crimes have been committed by people with indefinite leave to remain in each of the last three years.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not available from the police recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office. The series collects statistics on the number of offences recorded but no information is collected on the status of the alleged offender.

Immigration: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column 283W, on deportation: Peterborough, what fixed datasets are used by the case information database to identify  (a) individual names,  (b) individual postal addresses and  (c) other data; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 3 February 2009
	The case information database uses datasets covering people's biometric and biographical data to uniquely establish individual identity and a table of addresses using the post office address finder software, table of address links to specific individuals and a further table which describe why the link is in place. These tables help to check that address data are accurate and up to date as possible and reduce the likelihood of errors throughout the individual journey in the immigration process including deportation information.
	The case information database stores multiple addresses against an applicant for a variety of different uses including correspondence, prison, place of abode, etc. These are then stored either in elements including house name, street name, county etc. or in one block if the address can not be verified against the post office finder software.
	Information on any other data needs to be specific to aid response.

Licensing Act 2003

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect of the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003 on shift patterns of police officers in  (a) Essex and  (b) England and Wales.

Alan Campbell: The shift patterns of police officers is an operational matter, and as such is for the chief constable to determine. However, the Government published a review of the Licensing Act 2003 in March 2008 which revealed a mixed picture in terms of its impact. The change in opening hours has not led to the widespread problems some people feared. Overall, crime and alcohol consumption are down, but there has been a small increase in alcohol-related violence in the early hours of the morning and some communities have seen a rise in disorder. Our main conclusion is that people are using the freedoms, but people are not sufficiently using the considerable powers granted by the Act to tackle problems, and that there is a need to rebalance action towards enforcement and crack down on irresponsible behaviour.
	Additionally, we have introduced legislation for a new, mandatory code of practice. This will contain some compulsory national conditions, banning the most irresponsible practices and promotions which encourage people to drink excessively, or promote a binge-drinking culture. This will not affect the majority of businesses, small or large, that behave responsibly—but will target those that do not.
	Further, the Government are funding a £4.5 million enforcement campaign, in addition to existing resources from the police, local authorities, and others, focused on 40-50 priority areas and led by ACPO Commander Simon O'Brien. There is additional funding for the 20 priority PCT areas, and a £10 million investment in national awareness campaigns.

Members: Correspondence

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer Question 243530, on fees for identity cards and biometric passports, tabled on 9 December 2008.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 27 January 2009
	 I replied to the hon. Member on 9 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1672W.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 29 October 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms S. Umak.

Jacqui Smith: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 21 January 2009.

Members: Correspondence

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects a reply to be sent to the letter of 8 January 2009 from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood, to the UK Border Agency regarding Sainey Manneh, Home Office reference number M1300980/3, acknowledgement reference B463/9.

Phil Woolas: The UK Border Agency wrote to my right hon. Friend on 27 January 2009.

Mentally Disturbed Offenders

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) young offenders,  (b) young people and  (c) adults detained by the police were diverted into treatment for a mental disorder in each police force area in each year since 2000.

Alan Campbell: The information is not held centrally.

National Identity Register

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether the biographical component of the National Identity Register will be held on the Department for Work and Pensions customer information systems; and what other legacy systems will be linked to it;
	(2)  what measures the Identity and Passport Service plans to put in place to prevent officials from the Department for Work and Pensions from accessing its information held on the National Identity Register.

Meg Hillier: In order to maintain a necessarily high level of security, the National Identity Register will not be directly linked to any other Government databases and no third party organisation will have direct access to the information held on the register.
	Our suppliers are currently building the system that will store the biographic information that will be enrolled when we begin issuing identity cards from the second half of this year.

National Identity Register

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost to other Departments of  (a) making and  (b) servicing individual verifications of their data held on the National Identity Register.

Meg Hillier: Government Departments already require individuals to provide proof of identity in order to access many services. Identity cards will be more convenient and secure than the array of documents that are currently used to prove identity, thus making the process more efficient from the very beginning.
	Linked to the National Identity Register, identity cards will provide a range of levels of identity verification the majority of which will be a basic visual check of the card and not all transactions will require a check against the Register.
	It will be the responsibility of any Government Department to decide what level of identity verification they require and if they wish to invest in equipment, such as card readers, or identity verification services provided by the Identity and Passport Service.

National Identity Register: Data Protection

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether requests from other Departments for information held on the National Identity Register will be restricted to requests for confirmation or denial of data held.

Meg Hillier: The information that is provided to other Government Departments from the National Identity Register will vary depending on the purpose for which the Department makes the request. The majority of requests will be to confirm the validity of data held by the Department. In limited cases however, further information may be provided, such as in the prevention and detection of crime.
	All requests will be subject to the strict regulations laid out in the Identity Cards Act and forthcoming secondary legislation. Furthermore, all disclosures will comply with the Data Protection and Human Rights Acts.

National Identity Register: Data Protection

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what forms of access control her Department proposes to use to keep data on the National Identity Register gathered from the information systems of other Departments separate.

Meg Hillier: The information that will be held on the National Identity Register will be collected during the application process. It will not be made up of an amalgam of existing Government data.

National Identity Register: Data Protection

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Identity and Passport Service plans to take to shield information for which it is responsible following delivery to systems held by other Departments.

Meg Hillier: Before an organisation may be provided with information from the National Identity Register it will undergo an accreditation process which will include ensuring there is a legitimate business need for the information and that the organisation will be responsible for ensuring that information it is provided with is handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
	In addition, under the Identity Cards Act, it will be a criminal offence to make any unauthorised disclosure of information from the National Identity Register. Accreditation may be withdrawn if an organisation fails to comply with any requirements to look after the information and the National Identity Scheme Commissioner will provide independent oversight of the provision of information.

Offences Against Children

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children under the age of 18 were the victims of sexual crimes in each of the last three years.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not available centrally.
	The British crime survey (BCS) collects information on sexual offences experienced by adults aged 16 years and over, resident in England and Wales. However, due to the small number of sexual offences identified by the BCS it is not possible to provide robust estimates for children of 16 and 17 years of age.
	Police recorded crime figures held by the Home Office are based on aggregate returns from police forces of the number of notifiable offences reported to and recorded by the police. These returns do not contain information on the characteristics of victims or their families.

Offences Against Children

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many SCD5 child abuse investigation trained officers are stationed in  (a) each London borough and  (b) each police authority area outside London; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The requested figures are not available centrally.

Offensive Weapons

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the use of catapults as offensive weapons; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 10 February 2009
	The Home Office has received both public and ministerial correspondence on the use of catapults as offensive weapons. The law is clear that if someone is carrying a catapult with intent to cause injury he may be liable to prosecution under section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 which makes it an offence to carry an offensive weapon in public without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

Offensive Weapons: Crimes of Violence

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) gun crimes and  (b) arrests relating to gun crime there were in England in 2007-08.

Alan Campbell: Firearms (excluding air weapons) were reported to have been used in 9,656 crimes in England during 2007-08. Firearms are taken to be involved in a crime if they are fired, used as a blunt instrument or used as a threat.
	Data on arrests relating to gun crime cannot be provided by the Home Office since (a) the centrally held firearm offences database does not record detection or suspect data, and (b) offences involving firearms cannot be identified on the centrally held arrests database.

Offensive Weapons: Police Cautions

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were cautioned for carrying a knife in the last year for which figures are available.

Jacqui Smith: The number of offenders cautioned for illegal knife possession in 2007 (the latest year available) in England and Wales was 7,404.
	ACPO guidance issued on 22 July 2008 makes it clear that anyone over the age of 16 caught in possession of a knife can now expect to be prosecuted on the first offence. Those under 16 can expect a formal final warning coupled with a knife education scheme to help them understand the potentially devastating consequences of carrying knives.
	Revised guidance issued by the Sentencing Guidelines Council on 1 August states that the starting point for sentencing a level one (i.e. least serious) first time adult offender caught in possession for a knife who pleads not guilty should be 12 weeks in custody. More information can be found at:
	http://www.sentencing-guidelines.gov.uk
	Illegal knife possession includes the following offences:
	Having an article with blade or point in public place and having an article with blade or point on school premises.
	From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings. These figures have been included in the total.
	The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.

Official Residences

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 13 January 2009,  Official Report, column 719W, on official residences, for what reason a home condition report was not purchased.

Phil Woolas: The selling agents did not advise procurement of a home condition report as they consider that the most likely potential purchaser will wish to carry out substantial works to the property and a home condition report would not be likely to materially assist such a purchaser.

Official Residences

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 13 January 2009,  Official Report, column 719W, on official residences: whether the property at 62 South Eaton Place was placed on the market before the home information pack was completed and finalised.

Phil Woolas: No. Our agents have confirmed that the home information pack was finalised on 18 September which was the date that the property was made live by them for the purpose of placing it on the market.

Operation Cast Lead

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contribution  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in her Department made to the briefing note on Operation Cast Lead produced jointly by her Department's Research and Information Unit and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: Home Office officials and officials from other Government Departments contributed to the communications briefing note produced by the Research, Information and Communications Unit (RICU) on Operation Cast Lead. Contributions were made to press lines and to a list of ministerial and official media and community engagement. Ministers made no direct contributions to the note although their engagement activities were recorded.

Passports: Languages

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what language facilities other than English have been required to assist staff in dealing with non-English speaking passport applicants at the passport office in Belfast during 2008.

Meg Hillier: holding answer 19 January 2009
	The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) Belfast does not keep records of all instances when language facilities other than English are required in dealing with non-English speaking passport applicants. All applications are made in English and when foreign documents support these and require translation, customers are asked to provide a translation from an independent and verifiable translator. Given the range of applications submitted from persons whose birth, marriage, divorce, or change of name may take place abroad, it is impossible to provide a definitive list of the number or type of translation services that may be required.
	On the rare occasion when a caller making an application or inquiry at the public counter does not speak English, they may communicate through a friend or family member. Given the infrequency of the requirement for translation or interpreter services at Belfast, it would not be cost effective for IPS to make separate permanent provision for this.
	The only exception arises in the case of interviews to authenticate identity at the regional office public counter at Hampton House High street Belfast or at the IPS Interview Office at Norwood House, Great Victoria street, Belfast. In such cases for security reasons IPS will provide an interpreter if required.
	In 2008 no interpreter services were required at the Hampton House public counter. Eight cases arose at the Interview Office in Norwood House, comprising six cases interpreting Chinese Mandarin, one case interpreting Cantonese and one case interpreting Bengali.

Police

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the average number of police response units on call at any one time.

Jacqui Smith: This information is not held centrally.

Police Authorities

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings  (a) she and  (b) her officials have had with  (a) the Association of Chief Police Officers,  (b) the Association of Police Authorities,  (c) the Local Government Association and  (d) Connect Public Affairs or consultants engaged by them or clients represented by them at which proposals for directly elected police authority representation to be contained in the Policing and Crime Bill were discussed.

Vernon Coaker: Home Office Ministers and officials have frequent meetings with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities, and from time to time with the Local Government Association. These proposals were discussed at several of these meetings.
	There have been no meetings with Connect Public Affairs itself, but the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Association of Police Authorities and a number of individual police authorities appear to be clients of this organisation.

Police Community Support Officers: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police community support officers serving in Hertfordshire constabulary have unspent criminal convictions.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office does not hold such information. This is a matter for the chief constable of Hertfordshire constabulary.

Police Patrolling

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the average number of hours per day a police officer spent on patrol in 2007-08.

Vernon Coaker: It is not possible to calculate the number of hours per day spent on patrol, because different forces will have different shift patterns and hence different numbers of hours per day.
	However, 13.8 per cent. of police officer time in England and Wales was spent on patrol in 2007-08.
	Time spent on patrol is defined as the time when an officer is patrolling but engaged on no other duties. A fuller picture of the activities undertaken by a police officer will include not only time on patrol but also other core duties such as responding to 999 calls or community involvement activities. In 2007-08, 64.9 per cent. of police officer time in England and Wales was spent on such front-line duties.
	All the figures quoted above exclude Staffordshire, for which data are not available.

Police Stations

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy to require police authorities to publish the number of police stations in their area and their opening times.

Vernon Coaker: I do not intend to require police authorities to publish such information; this is a matter for individual police authorities.

Police Stations

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations there are in England and Wales.

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not held centrally. The management of the police estate and allocation of resources are matters for the police authority and chief constable for each force, who are responsible for assessing local needs.

Police: Convictions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) male and  (b) female police officers of each rank in each police force were (i) arrested, (ii) prosecuted and (iii) convicted for drink-driving in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office and the data held by the Ministry of Justice on court proceedings do not include information on the individual circumstances of persons arrested, prosecuted or convicted. As a result the occupation of individuals arrested or brought before the courts cannot be separately identified.

Police: Demonstrations

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1674W, on police: demonstrations, how many  (a) assaults by protesters were made and  (b) police vehicles were damaged during the course of demonstrations in support of (i) Palestinians and (ii) Israel; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The assaults by protesters and damage to police vehicles took place at and around demonstrations against the invasion of Gaza.

Police: Driving Offences

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times police cars exceeding relevant speed limits have been detected by speed cameras in each police force area in each of the last five years; and how many and what proportion of such detections resulted in  (a) a prosecution,  (b) a caution,  (c) no further action and  (d) words of advice from a senior officer.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	The law on speeding offences applies to police officers as it does to the general public. The police can however claim exemption from speed limits in the circumstances set out in section 87, Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This provides that speed limits do not apply to vehicles being used for an emergency service purpose if observing the limit on that specific occasion would hinder such use. In the event of dispute, it would be for the courts to decide if the exemption was properly claimed or a speeding offence committed.
	Within the constraints of the legislation, the use of the speed limit exemption is an operational matter for the police. The police will take into account the need on each specific occasion to reach an emergency scene as quickly as possible and to preserve road safety. Police have been convicted or offered fixed penalties for speeding when on duty, but there is no evidence that they are routinely acting inappropriately.

Police: Driving Offences

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been  (a) prosecuted for and  (b) convicted of driving offences which occurred while the officer (i) was and (ii) was not on duty which led to incidents where civilians have died in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	Data on prosecutions and convictions held by the Ministry of Justice do not include information on the individual circumstances of persons prosecuted or convicted. As a result the occupation of defendants cannot be separately identified.

Police: Finance

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the pay costs of  (a) Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary,  (b) the National Police Improvement Agency,  (c) the Police Standards Unit and  (d) the Independent Police Complaints Commission were in 2007-08; and how many staff worked in each organisation in that year.

Vernon Coaker: The available information is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			  (a) Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) 
			   Total staff  Total pay (£ million) 
			 2007-08 145 8.8 
			  Note:  Total staff numbers include HO and seconded staff. 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) 
			   Total staff  Total pay  (£ million) 
			 2007-08 1,857 90.5 
			  Notes:  1. Staffing numbers are the average during the period 2007-08.  2. Staffing numbers and costs include permanent NPIA staff, police, civilian and other secondees, contractors and agency staff. 
		
	
	
		
			  (c) Police Standards Unit (PSU) 
			   Total staff  Total pay  (£ million) 
			 2007-08 (1)— (1)— 
			 (1) In July 2007 the Police Standards Unit merged with the Partnership Performance Support Unit to form the Police and Partnership Standards Unit (PPSU). The rationale for the merger is explained in the PCSD Director's Report 2006-07. The complement for the PPSU in 2007/08 was 33 and the total pay costs were approximately £2.3 million. 
		
	
	
		
			  (d) Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) 
			   Total staff  Total pay  (£ million) 
			 2007-08 398 19.1 
			  Notes:  1. The figures are taken from the 2007-08 annual accounts to be laid before Parliament.  2. The figures for pay cost include pension and social security costs.  3. Staff costs and figures include agency staff, seconded staff and commissioners staff.

Police: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the funding which would have been made available to each police force in England in each year from 2004-05 to 2009-10 had the damping mechanism not been applied.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	The damping mechanism exists to protect all authorities against financial instability and ensures all authorities receive an increase in grant at least equal to the "floor" level on a like-for-like basis year-on-year.
	
		
			  Raw allocation (£ million) 
			  Police authority  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Avon and Somerset 160.4 172.2 172.9 179.8 186.0 191.7 
			 Bedfordshire 62.1 65.7 67.9 70.6 72.3 74.4 
			 Cambridgeshire 74.9 80.1 75.9 79.2 81.2 83.7 
			 Cheshire 107.1 110.8 105.5 109.1 108.5 111.3 
			 Cleveland 84.7 91.9 88.6 91.2 94.7 96.8 
			 Cumbria 57.6 61.0 50.4 52.2 53.4 54.7 
			 Derbyshire 100.9 103.7 107.5 111.5 114.7 117.7 
			 Devon and Cornwall 164.1 171.2 168.6 175.6 179.9 185.7 
			 Dorset 59.2 61.8 58.8 60.9 60.6 62.4 
			 Durham 83.2 86.9 79.4 82.0 83.6 85.3 
			 Essex 145.8 153.3 163.1 169.4 176.2 181.7 
			 GLA—Police 1,878.4 1,976.3 1,784.8 1,850.6 1885.5 1943.0 
			 Gloucestershire 56.9 59.8 53.8 55.9 55.4 56.9 
			 Greater Manchester 399.9 418.3 431.4 446.2 462.7 474.0 
			 Hampshire 186.2 192.7 191.5 198.6 203.2 209.1 
			 Hertfordshire 99.1 104.1 114.7 119.0 120.9 124.9 
			 Humberside 113.5 118.2 113.8 117.7 125.9 129.3 
			 Kent 167.9 177.9 175.0 182.1 188.3 194.2 
			 Lancashire 184.5 192.1 185.4 192.1 201.2 206.7 
			 Leicestershire 102.0 109.8 110.4 114.5 118.1 121.1 
			 Lincolnshire 60.1 64.0 59.3 62.0 65.1 67.0 
			 Merseyside 246.4 255.6 248.1 255.7 264.2 269.7 
			 Norfolk 81.6 86.0 76.4 79.8 83.3 85.9 
			 North Yorkshire 69.7 72.6 63.8 66.2 68.6 70.8 
			 Northamptonshire 66.5 69.2 68.4 71.1 73.9 76.1 
			 Northumbria 225.1 235.4 202.8 209.2 211.7 215.7 
			 Nottinghamshire 127.7 133.9 133.0 137.6 145.3 149.0 
			 South Yorkshire 176.1 184.1 186.7 193.0 199.8 204.5 
			 Staffordshire 105.1 111.0 110.9 114.5 119.6 122.3 
			 Suffolk 63.2 67.6 62.8 65.4 67.1 69.1 
			 Surrey 72.5 77.2 92.3 95.7 94.7 98.0 
			 Sussex 147.4 152.1 148.9 154.9 156.8 161.9 
			 Thames Valley 208.0 216.5 225.8 234.0 235.1 241.7 
			 Warwickshire 49.5 52.0 51.1 53.1 53.0 54.6 
			 West Mercia 106.4 109.3 103.4 107.1 108.3 111.3 
			 West Midlands 426.3 442.3 481.9 498.3 518.0 529.9 
			 West Yorkshire 305.7 318.3 321.1 332.6 349.2 358.5 
			 Wiltshire 59.1 61.7 57.9 60.2 60.7 62.4 
			  Notes: 1. All figures are rounded to the nearest £100,000. Grant as calculated using the Police Funding Formula (before Amending Reports). 2. From 2006-07 funding for pensions and security funding became specific grants, and no longer part of general grant. 3. Figures for the City of London are excluded because these are allocated to the Common Council of the City of London as a whole in respect of all its functions. The city is grouped with education authorities for floors and scaling purposes.

Police: Manpower

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers  (a) in each police force area and  (b) at each rank have been employed in jobs other than the police force in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not held centrally.

Police: Manpower

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time equivalent  (a) police officers and  (b) police community support officers there are in each basic command unit in England and Wales.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 12 February 2009
	Latest available figures relate to police officers and police community support officers in post in each basic command unit on 31 March 2008. These figures were published in supplementary tables to the National Statistics bulletin 'Police Service Strength England and Wales 31 March 2008'. Copies of these supplementary tables can be accessed at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb0808add_tab.xls

Police: Manpower

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police recruits left each police force within two years of joining in 2007-08; and what percentage of all leavers that figure represents.

Vernon Coaker: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) on 17 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 865-67W.

Police: Pay

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) total and  (b) average overtime bill for police officers in each police force area was in 2007-08.

Vernon Coaker: Estimates for the total cost of overtime for police officers in each police force area are given in the following table. Information on the number of police officers claiming overtime is not available centrally to calculate an average overtime bill.
	
		
			  Total overtime for police officers by police authority,  2007-08 (E stimates) 
			  Police authority  Overtime( 1)  (£000) 
			 Avon and Somerset 4,788 
			 Bedfordshire 2,430 
			 Cambridgeshire 3,276 
			 Cheshire 2,810 
			 City of London 1,831 
			 Cleveland 3,122 
			 Cumbria 705 
			 Derbyshire 3,177 
			 Devon and Cornwall 5,590 
			 Dorset 2,530 
			 Durham 2,520 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,930 
			 Essex 5,410 
			 Gloucestershire 2,418 
			 Greater Manchester 9,961 
			 Gwent 2,899 
			 Hampshire 9,958 
			 Hertfordshire — 
			 Humberside 4,548 
			 Kent 10,092 
			 Lancashire 5,961 
			 Leicestershire 3,179 
			 Lincolnshire 2,556 
			 Merseyside 6,949 
			 Metropolitan 118,590 
			 Norfolk 2,950 
			 North Wales 1,875 
			 North Yorkshire 3,224 
			 Northamptonshire 1,150 
			 Northumbria 6,980 
			 Nottinghamshire 3,876 
			 South Wales 4,990 
			 South Yorkshire 6,897 
			 Staffordshire 3,778 
			 Suffolk 1,863 
			 Surrey 4,698 
			 Sussex 5,462 
			 Thames Valley 11,177 
			 Warwickshire 2,077 
			 West Mercia 3,186 
			 West Midlands 12,690 
			 West Yorkshire 10,091 
			 Wiltshire 1,746 
			 (1) Included in police officer salaries.  Source: Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) 2007-08. Estimates (2007-08 Actuals not yet available).

Police: Pensions

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the budget of each police force was used to fund pension payments in each of the last 10 years.

Jacqui Smith: The following table gives the proportion of the budget requirement of each police force used to fund pension payments for the first two completed years under the current system of police pensions financing, 2006-07 and 2007-08. The information given for pensions expenditure, both as a figure and as a percentage of the total budget requirement, consists in each case of the employer contributions made in that year. The current system of police pensions financing was introduced in April 2006, whereby each police authority pays employer and officer contributions into a separate account out of which pensions are paid. Where the income into the police authority pensions account from contributions (plus other payments such as inward transfer values) is insufficient to meet the cost of pensions payment, it is topped up by Home Office grant.
	
		
			   2006-07  2007-08 
			  Police force  Budget requirement  Pensions expenditure (audited)  Budget requirement  Pensions expenditure (unaudited) 
			   £  £ ( 1) Percentage  £  £ ( 1) Percentage 
			 Avon and Somerset 236,729,347 26,609,044 11.2 248,854,304 27,126,840 10.9 
			 Bedfordshire 87,335,239 9,209,851 10.5 91,229,000 9,343,132 10.2 
			 Cambridgeshire 110,474,455 11,253,797 10.2 116,008,248 11,345,978 9.8 
			 Cheshire 150,305,000 17,097,000 11.4 157,408,000 17,516,000 11.1 
			 Cleveland 114,975,143 13,156,000 11.4 119,736,908 13,397,000 11.2 
			 City of London 61,206,000 7,555,521 12.3 62,859,000 7,680,183 12.2 
			 Cumbria 90,328,000 9,866,236 10.9 94,029,437 10,095,624 10.7 
			 Derbyshire 145,328,989 15,828,665 10.9 151,564,335 16,321,000 10.8 
			 Devon and Cornwall 246,273,836 27,233,304 11.1 256,803,556 27,958,857 10.9 
			 Dorset 103,055,700 11,725,000 11.4 107,800,000 11,994,000 11.1 
			 Durham 102,583,311 13,414,600 13.1 112,325,160 13,463,100 12.0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 79,892,792 9,574,720 12.0 83,635,989 9,801,996 11.7 
			 Essex 231,985,273 24,944,081 10.8 242,220,179 25,820,000 10.7 
			 Gloucestershire 91,489,400 10,204,573 11.2 95,658,895 10,518,392 11.0 
			 Greater Manchester 503,504,176 61,560,000 12.2 524,128,336 63,300,000 12.1 
			 Gwent 106,054,899 11,508,000 10.9 110,674,143 11,825,000 10.7 
			 Hampshire 269,722,000 28,504,000 10.6 281,925,000 29,655,000 10.5 
			 Hertfordshire 164,225,494 16,114,049 9.8 171,441,072 16,606,894 9.7 
			 Humberside 158,052,928 17,727,481 11.2 164,900,977 18,417,532 11.2 
			 Kent 247,311,000 27,951,117 11.3 257,912,389 28,494,901 11.0 
			 Lancashire 239,533,000 27,749,876 11.6 252,645,000 28,560,673 11.3 
			 Leicestershire 148,270,715 17,331,000 11.7 154,705,856 17,627,000 11.4 
			 Lincolnshire 86,492,378 9,438,985 10.9 90,405,764 9,566,292 10.6 
			 Merseyside 296,426,757 34,293,000 11.6 307,320,130 35,447,000 11.5 
			 Metropolitan 2,425,700,000 254,779,000 10.5 2,532,700,000 262,972,000 10.4 
			 Norfolk 124,672,108 12,502,876 10.0 131,334,638 12,766,800 9.7 
			 Northamptonshire 105,398,000 10,285,737 9.8 110,306,000 10,269,638 9.3 
			 Northumbria 260,475,000 31,863,617 12.2 270,145,176 32,325,376 12.0 
			 North Wales 118,675,632 12,600,000 10.6 124,801,733 12,798,000 10.3 
			 North Yorkshire 122,894,000 12,914,908 10.5 127,634,283 13,083,486 10.3 
			 Nottinghamshire 170,490,070 19,629,000 11.5 177,621,598 19,731,000 11.1 
			 South Wales 222,649,897 25,907,998 11.6 232,098915 26,293,895 11.3 
			 South Yorkshire 230,581,818 25,878,574 11.2 239,624,966 26,283,993 11.0 
			 Staffordshire 164,024,687 18,053,000 11.0 170,861,799 18,543,000 10.9 
			 Suffolk 97,352,382 10,259,000 10.5 101,851,694 10,626,000 10.4 
			 Surrey 172,396,784 14,973,000 8.7 180,592,560 14,683,000 8.1 
			 Sussex 227,247,669 24,036,000 10.6 237,148,000 24,285,000 10.2 
			 Thames Valley 329,137,246 32,224,009 9.8 344,367,127 32,493,512 9.4 
			 Warwickshire 76,560,000 8,198,000 10.7 80,078,926 8,566,000 10.7 
			 West Mercia 176,766,000 18,669,970 10.6 184,296,580 19,374,440 10.5 
			 West Midlands 501,612,139 61,669,907 12.3 521,750,000 63,441,000 12.2 
			 West Yorkshire 380,196,015 43,343,502 11.4 396,047,439 44,519,836 11.2 
			 Wiltshire 91,633,000 9,722,178 10.6 96,022,839 9,915,593 10.3 
			 (1) Pensions expenditure as a percentage of the total budget requirement. 
		
	
	Figures for the years before 2006-07 relate to the previous pay-as-you-go system of financing, under which police pensions were paid out of forces' operating accounts. Information about the level of pensions expenditure net of officer contributions is included in the annual reports published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). This information is gathered independently of the Home Office.

Police: Recruitment

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) applicants and  (b) recruits there were to each police force in 2007-08.

Vernon Coaker: The information is as follows.
	 (a) The requested data are given in Table 1.
	 (b) The requested data are given in Table 2.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number( 1)  of formal application forms( 2)  received by police forces, 2007-08 
			   Number 
			 Avon and Somerset n/a 
			 Bedfordshire 456 
			 Cambridgeshire 21 
			 Cheshire 165 
			 Cleveland n/a 
			 Cumbria 431 
			 Derbyshire 1,310 
			 Devon and Cornwall 463 
			 Dorset n/a 
			 Durham n/a 
			 Dyfed-Powys n/a 
			 Essex 1,262 
			 Gloucestershire n/a 
			 Greater Manchester 4,972 
			 Gwent 1,031 
			 Hampshire 1,968 
			 Hertfordshire 659 
			 Humberside 441 
			 Kent 2,521 
			 Lancashire 4,370 
			 Leicestershire 435 
			 Lincolnshire 1,020 
			 London, City of 850 
			 Merseyside 550 
			 Metropolitan Police 5,498 
			 Norfolk n/a 
			 Northamptonshire 749 
			 Northumbria 2,590 
			 North Wales 346 
			 North Yorkshire n/a 
			 Nottinghamshire 279 
			 South Wales n/a 
			 South Yorkshire 893 
			 Staffordshire n/a 
			 Suffolk n/a 
			 Surrey n/a 
			 Sussex 936 
			 Thames Valley n/a 
			 Warwickshire n/a 
			 West Mercia 1,005 
			 West Midlands 3,451 
			 West Yorkshire 2,149 
			 Wiltshire n/a 
			 n/a = Data not available. Force was not able to supply data at the time of collection. (1) Provisional management information data collected for planning purposes only. Data have not undergone usual quality assurance practices (including validation with individual police forces) and are therefore supplied for information purposes only. (2) Does not include informal expressions of interest. Some forces no longer send out and receive paper application packs and instead receive electronic applications via the www.policecouldyou.co.uk website. Where forces receive application packs from other means it is not always possible to separately identify the number of paper application packs received, and in such cases forces have been instructed to return a zero response. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Police officer recruits( 1)  (FTE)( 2)  to police forces, 2007-08 
			   Number 
			 Avon and Somerset 153 
			 Bedfordshire 79 
			 Cambridgeshire 66 
			 Cheshire 30 
			 Cleveland 43 
			 Cumbria 41 
			 Derbyshire 129 
			 Devon and Cornwall 115 
			 Dorset 40 
			 Durham 21 
			 Dyfed-Powys 48 
			 Essex 238 
			 Gloucestershire 76 
			 Greater Manchester 426 
			 Gwent 61 
			 Hampshire 204 
			 Hertfordshire 189 
			 Humberside 95 
			 Kent 149 
			 Lancashire 182 
			 Leicestershire 98 
			 Lincolnshire 36 
			 London, City of 20 
			 Merseyside 200 
			 Metropolitan Police 966 
			 Norfolk 48 
			 Northamptonshire 82 
			 Northumbria 163 
			 North Wales 45 
			 North Yorkshire 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 47 
			 South Wales 54 
			 South Yorkshire 92 
			 Staffordshire 40 
			 Suffolk 63 
			 Surrey 121 
			 Sussex 180 
			 Thames Valley 245 
			 Warwickshire 0 
			 West Mercia 79 
			 West Midlands 497 
			 West Yorkshire 352 
			 Wiltshire 47 
			 (1) Recruits included those officers joining as Police Standard Direct Recruits and those who were previously Special Constables. This excludes police officers on transfers from other forces and those rejoining. (2) Full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

Police: Standards

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) reports and  (b) data sets each police force is required to submit to her Department each (i) month and (ii) year.

Jacqui Smith: The following table contains details of the 2009/10 Annual Data Requirement (ADR) from police forces in England and Wales. The ADR details the statutory requirements for data from police forces that are made under the Home Secretary's powers under the Police Act 1996.
	The Policing Green Paper announced that Sir David Normington, Permanent Secretary to the Home Office, would lead a review of the data collection burden placed on police forces in England and Wales by the Home Office. The aim of the review is to reduce the burden by up to 50 per cent. The report of the review, 'Reducing the Data Burden on Police Forces in England and Wales', was published on 16 February 2009 and includes proposals for:
	cutting out altogether or significantly reducing 36 data streams;
	a two-year moratorium on requests for new data collection; and
	a new 'Gateway' process to limit requests for data which fall outside the statutory Annual Data Requirement.
	The outcome of the review will have an immediate impact on the Annual Data Requirement made of police forces for 2009-10.
	
		
			  (b) Data requirements each police force is required to submit monthly, quarterly, bi-annually and annually for the 2009-10 financial year 
			   Frequency of returns  Additional information 
			  Notifiable offences  
			 HomicideAnnual Returns submitted on completion 
			 Recorded Crime Monthly 
			 Arrests  Quarterly
			 Firearms Offences Monthly Quarterly  Annual  
			 Use of PACE powers  Quarterly  Annual  
			 Racist Offences  Quarterly  Annual  
			 Use of knives and other sharp instruments  Quarterly
			 Vehicles stolen during robberies and domestic burglaries  Quarterly
			   
			  Disposals  
			 Magistrates courts proceedings and cautions Returns submitted on completion 
			 Motoring OffencesAnnual  
			 Penalty notices for disorder—issued and outcomes Monthly 
			   
			  Police activities (tests, issue of certificates and other activities)  
			 Breath testsAnnual  
			 Issue of certificates—firearms and explosivesAnnual  
			 Deaths in police custody Collected by Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). Returns submitted on completion. 
			 Setting up of cordons under the Terrorism ActAnnual  
			 Road traffic accidents: casualties Returns submitted on completion 
			 Number of incidents recorded through National Standard for Incident Recording (NSIR) Monthly 
			 Drug seizures Returns submitted on completion 
			 Performance measures and Her Majesty's Inspectorate Constabulary (HMIC)  Quarterly  Annual  
			 User satisfaction  Quarterly
			 Forensic data  Quarterly
			 Warrants (failure to appear) Monthly 
			 Recording of all stops  Quarterly
			 Prolific and other priority offenders Monthly 
			   
			  Police personnel  
			 Police personnel   Bi-annual Annual  
			 Commendation, complaints and disciplineAnnual Collected by Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)

Police: Stun Guns

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost of training provided to police officers for using the new taser stun guns in the  (a) last and  (b) next 12 months.

Vernon Coaker: Taser training, as with all other areas of police training, will need to be met from within force budgets. As such, the Home Office has not made an estimate of the cost of training officers to use taser.

Police: Vacancies

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officer vacancies at all ranks there were in  (a) the Metropolitan Police Force and  (b) all other forces in 2007-08.

Vernon Coaker: This information is not collected centrally.

Police: Wales

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many civilian staff of  (a) North Wales Police,  (b) Gwent Police,  (c) South Wales Police and (d) Dyfed-Powys Police have unspent criminal convictions;
	(2)  how many serving policy community support officers with  (a) North Wales Police,  (b) Gwent Police,  (c) South Wales Police and  (d) Dyfed-Powys Police have unspent criminal convictions;
	(3)  how many serving officers of  (a) North Wales Police,  (b) Gwent Police,  (c) South Wales Police and  (d) Dyfed-Powys Police have unspent criminal convictions.

Vernon Coaker: This information is not held centrally.

Ports

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how often yellow boxes at small ports are cleared; and how often their contents are analysed.

Jacqui Smith: Yellow boxes (or yacht boxes) used for depositing C1331 forms are emptied by UK Border Force staff working in flexible teams. They are emptied as and when staff are deployed to those locations where boxes are present.
	When the forms have been collected from the yellow boxes, they are sent to a central point for processing and analysing.
	The National Yachtline advises yachtsmen to send the C1331s to a single point in Dover where the data are checked and recorded. The information is then forwarded to direct taxes to follow up as appropriate.
	HMRC are in the process of updating public Notice 8 Sailing Your Pleasure craft to and from the UK to reflect this current practice.

Powers of Entry: Parliamentary Estate

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Lord West's review of powers of entry will have powers of entry into the precincts of Parliament within its scope.

Vernon Coaker: The Review of Powers of Entry focuses on collating existing statutory powers available to investigating agencies and scoping the potential for a future statutory framework for the exercise of entry powers by non-police agencies. The review will consider all types of premises to which powers of entry apply.

Proceeds of Crime

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on managing and liquidating assets recovered by the Serious Organised Crime Agency under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in the first nine months of 2008-09.

Alan Campbell: Figures relating to costs incurred for the financial year 2008-09 are subject to internal validation within the Serious Organised Crime Agency and will be available after the end of the financial year.

Proceeds of Crime

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department takes to monitor the amount of criminal assets recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 by  (a) law enforcement agencies and  (b) prosecuting authorities; and how often each such agency is required to report on the recovery of criminal assets.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office monitors the overall performance of all agencies involved in the recovery of criminal assets on a monthly basis. There is no requirement on law enforcement agencies to report to the Home Office on their performance in this area. The Department has no authority to monitor the performance of the prosecution agencies.

Proceeds of Crime

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 was retained by her Department in the  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) first nine months of the 2008-09 financial year; to which projects such money was allocated in each year; how much money was allocated to each such project; and how much of the money allocated had not been spent at the latest date for which figures are available.

Alan Campbell: The information available is as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2006-07 58.13 
			 2007-08 64.8 
			 2008-09 (1)31.1 
			 (1) First six months. 
		
	
	These sums contributed to core Home Office expenditure priorities, including policing and other asset recovery measures. Similar sums were allocated in those periods to the police and other agencies involved in the recovery of criminal assets, under the Asset Recovery Incentive Scheme. Police forces have invested most of their monies from the incentive scheme in further developing their asset recovery and financial investigation capacity, with the funding of financial investigator posts, anti-money laundering teams, and asset recovery operations. In addition some funds were used on local projects to tackle gun and knife crime. The Metropolitan Police Service also made a grant to the Safer London Foundation. Other forces supported a range of community initiatives, including youth projects, road shows, prevention of doorstep crime, over 60s club, and equipment for a faith based community centre. Other agencies have also reinvested their shares in asset recovery activity.
	As at 31 August 2007, £18 million of the total sums allocated to local agencies for performance in 2006-07 had not been spent. As at 31 August 2008, £22 million of the sums allocated for performance in 2007-08 had not been spent. This is mainly due to the fact that allocations for performance in the fourth quarter of a financial year are not made to agencies until the first quarter of the following financial year. No data are available on unspent monies in 2008-09.

Proceeds of Crime

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money was recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 by each law enforcement agency in the first nine months of the 2008-09 financial year; how much of the money recovered was repaid to each such agency; and what steps she takes to monitor the purposes for which such money is allocated by law enforcement agencies.

Alan Campbell: The information available relates to the first six months of the 2008-09 financial year and is set out in the following table. 50 per cent. of all recovered sums are returned to front-line agencies under the Asset Recovery Incentive Scheme. All agencies are required to submit to the Home Office a certified annual return on the use made of their allocations under the scheme.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Force/Agency (A)  Total value of net receipts from confiscation and cash forfeiture orders reported to Home Office April to September 2009  Total allocations under the Asset  Recovery Incentive Scheme for April to September 2009 
			 Avon and Somerset Constabulary 417,856.62 95,853.62 
			 Bedfordshire Police 225,481.62 75,666.64 
			 British Transport Police 61,412.93 23,155.09 
			 Cambridgeshire Constabulary 631,323.03 122,245.50 
			 Cheshire Constabulary 450,455.20 104,116.91 
			 City of London Police 189,011.95 52,843.75 
			 Cleveland Police 547,291.01 172,433.84 
			 Cumbria Constabulary 530,707.73 103,175.08 
			 Derbyshire Constabulary 491,695.66 127,611.69 
			 Devon and Cornwall Constabulary 573,237.47 148,153.02 
			 Dorset Police 1,034,984.24 213,433.10 
			 Durham Constabulary 389,934.58 107,529.83 
			 Dyfed-Powys Police 234,658.88 55,298.74 
			 Essex Police 283,183.95 79,025.27 
			 Gloucestershire Constabulary 794,837.59 174,300.80 
			 Greater Manchester Police 2,357,571.35 699,717.21 
			 Gwent Police 621,539.93 134,337.64 
			 Hampshire Constabulary 750,716.72 192,433.63 
			 Hertfordshire Constabulary 2,101,205.06 447,371.28 
			 Humberside Police 480,969.03 104,922.83 
			 Kent Police 1,279,027.42 304,631.47 
			 Lancashire Constabulary 983,278.54 254,267.68 
			 Leicestershire Constabulary 730,846.95 180,575.27 
			 Lincolnshire Police 121,122.66 30,456.77 
			 Merseyside Police 2,949,819.05 1,233,075.63 
			 Metropolitan Police Service 8,686,670.42 2,919,239.09 
			 Norfolk Constabulary 260,505.84 53,135.59 
			 North Wales Police 236,639.90 56,802.06 
			 North Yorkshire Police 267,838.48 68,922.84 
			 Northamptonshire Police 433,619.09 95,507.32 
			 Northumbria Police 1,249,325.44 330,216.82 
			 Nottinghamshire Police 438,125.26 83,709.43 
			 Police Service of Northern Ireland 350,149.86 171,770.14 
			 South Wales Police 675,730.41 142,450.53 
			 South Yorkshire Police 765,915.67 224,260.96 
			 Staffordshire Police 1,311,210.46 358,510.60 
			 Suffolk Constabulary 467,732.99 101,946.46 
			 Surrey Police 208,088.59 61,928.90 
			 Sussex Police 1,155,398.24 226,798.41 
			 Thames Valley Police 889,648.18 226,823.25 
			 Warwickshire Police 184,465.26 77,953.93 
			 West Mercia Constabulary 199,120.43 75,379.45 
			 West Midlands Police 1,903,050.87 763,766.75 
			 West Yorkshire Police 1,135,317.98 260,869.95 
			 Wiltshire Constabulary 117,805.97 43,812.71 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 0.00 5,628,644.32 
			 HM Courts Service 0.00 4,950,473.78 
			 HM Revenue and Customs 12,432,475.85 4,212,926.55 
			 Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office 0.00 1,226,468.82 
			 Serious Organised Crime Agency 5,264,065.82 1,803,960.88 
			 Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (formerly DTI) 5,148.00 1,930.50 
			 Department for Work and Pensions 1,338,725.72 505,448.79 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 472,517.23 174,654.82 
			 Serious Fraud Office 575.00 34,063.58 
			 Environment Agency 611,137.68 205,587.55 
			 Ministry of Defence 181,869.15 34,100.47 
			 Office of Fair Trading 353,748.75 132,655.78 
			 UK Border Agency 29,912.54 5,608.60 
			 Northern Ireland Court Service 0.00 11,804.84 
			 Public Prosecution Service (Northern Ireland) 0.00 53,121.81 
			 Department for Social Security (Northern Ireland) 129,161.39 29,061.31 
			 Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency 24,978.39 4,687.55 
			 Royal Mail 46,601.22 7,087.73 
			 Bedfordshire County Council 255,018.28 85,597.04 
			 Birmingham City Council 172,742.99 85,391.17 
			 Bury Metropolitan Borough Council 965.00 361.88 
			 Carmarthenshire County Council 0.00 750.00 
			 City and County of Cardiff 1,003.40 376.28 
			 City of Liverpool Council 183,109.37 68,666.01 
			 City of Stoke-on-Trent 123,659.41 23,186.14 
			 Conwy County Borough Council 2,714.74 509.01 
			 Coventry City Council 44,657.27 16,746.48 
			 Denbighshire County Council 1,246.01 570.38 
			 Derbyshire County Council 425.04 141.68 
			 Gloucestershire County Council 0.00 18,684.38 
			 Hertsmere Borough Council 10,627.44 3,985.29 
			 Lincolnshire County Council 0.00 314.74 
			 London Borough of Redbridge 35,100.00 6,581.25 
			 London Borough of Hillingdon 2,000.00 750.00 
			 Middlesbrough City Council 0.00 35,984.48 
			 Nottinghamshire County Council 0.00 1,593.75 
			 Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council 100,000.00 37,500.00 
			 Rhondda Cynon Taff 0.00 1,279.57 
			 Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames 54,605.77 20,477.16 
			 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council 0.00 97.88 
			 South Gloucestershire Council 900.00 300.00 
			 Staffordshire County Council 0.00 7,820.98 
			  Notes:  1. Recovery values are shown against investigating agencies. Prosecuting and enforcing agencies are shown with NIL values to avoid double counting.  2. Enforcement of confiscation orders is primarily a matter for Her Majesty's Courts Service.

Proceeds of Crime: Northern Ireland

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the recent distribution of recovered criminal assets; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: There has been no need for discussions between Home Office and Northern Ireland Office Ministers on this matter. Under the Asset Recovery Incentive Scheme, 50 per cent. of all monies recovered are distributed among the front-line agencies involved, including agencies in Northern Ireland. The allocation of shares to individual agencies in Northern Ireland has been agreed with Northern Ireland Ministers.

Proceeds of Crime: Northern Ireland

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 was allocated for expenditure in Northern Ireland in the  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) first nine months of the 2008-09 financial year.

Alan Campbell: The allocations to Northern Ireland agencies under the Asset Recovery Incentive Scheme were as follows:
	
		
			   Amount (£) 
			 2006-07 303,198.31 
			 2007-08 1,820,228.17 
			 2008-09(1) 265,758.10 
			 (1 )April to September 2008.

Public Order

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance she issues to police forces on the grounds on which they may seek cancellation of public events where a threat to public safety is thought to exist; whether such guidance includes provisions on the furnishing to events organisers of the evidence underlying the assessment of any threat to public safety; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office does not issue guidance to police forces on this matter. However, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) inform us that under the Licensing Act 2003, the police may make objections to the granting of a premise's licence on the grounds of four licensing objectives. These include public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder. The police may also make objections to the granting of a temporary event notice solely on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder.
	DCMS has issued guidance to licensing authorities under section 182 of the Act on relevant representations, and also guidance to police officers on the use of closure powers in the Act to deal with disorder or noise nuisance problems on premises. There are no provisions in the guidance for furnishing event organisers with the evidence underlying the assessment of any threat to public safety.

Rape

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number and percentage of reported rapes that were categorised by the police as no crime in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is given in the following table.
	The methods by which police can 'no crime' a recorded offence are governed by the Home Office Counting Rules for Recorded Crime, Section C. The relevant criteria are as follows:
	(a) The crime was committed outside the jurisdiction of the police force in which it was recorded. (Crimes committed within the jurisdiction of another police force area should be referred to the respective forcesee also section G of the Home Office Counting Rules.)
	(b) Where following the report of an incident which has subsequently been recorded as a crime, additional verifiable information is available which determines that no notifiable crime has been committed.
	(c) If the crime, as alleged, constitutes part of a crime already recorded.
	(d) If the reported incident was recorded as a crime in error.
	
		
			  No crimes for rape offences 
			   Number of recorded offences  Number of no crimes  No crimes as a percentage of recorded offences 
			 2003-04 13,272 2,086 16 
			 2004-05 14,013 2,037 15 
			 2005-06 14,443 2,318 16 
			 2006-07 13,774 2,174 16 
			 2007-08 12,654 2,011 16

Rashid Rauf

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any official in her Department had any contact with Mr. Rashid Rauf in  (a) Pakistan and  (b) Afghanistan during 2006.

Vernon Coaker: No official in the Department had any such contact.

Security: Olympic Games 2012

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated research into the use of high-powered microphones on closed circuit television cameras for security purposes at the 2012 Olympics; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: No research has been commissioned or evaluated by the Home Department into the use of high-powered microphones on closed circuit television cameras for security purposes at the 2012 Olympics.

Security: Olympic Games 2012

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hornchurch of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 298W, on Olympic Games 2012: security, if she will break down the budget of 600 million by areas of spending.

Jacqui Smith: Work is continuing to finalise the strategy and plans for the security of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. Decisions on funding will take account of the operational needs of the police and other agencies, affordability within the 600 million funding envelope and the need to secure value for money.

Serious Organised Crime Agency: Cost Effectiveness

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy to publish information on the assets recovery function of the Serious Organised Crime Agency to enable value for money assessments to be made.

Alan Campbell: Information on the asset recovery function of the Serious Organised Crime Agency will be published as part of its 2008-09 annual report.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer given of 19 January 2009, Official Report, column 1239W, on the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), when she expects SOCA to publish its report for the financial year 2008-09; and what assessment she has made of the performance of SOCA during the first six months of 2008-09.

Alan Campbell: The Serious Organised Crime Agency expects to publish its Annual Report in May 2009.
	Home Office ministers have regular meetings with the chair and the director general of the Serious Organised Crime Agency and SOCA provides the Department with a performance report quarterly.

Serious Organised Crime Agency: Standards

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps she has taken to monitor the systems used by the Serious Organised Crime Agency to  (a) manage its cases and  (b) produce (i) management and (ii) financial information on recovered assets; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: Home Office Ministers and senior officials have regular meetings with the Serious Organised Crime Agency to discuss performance against the strategic priorities and targets in their Annual Plan, including the recovery of criminal assets. The specific management information and other systems used by SOCA in relation to asset recovery are the responsibility of the director general.

Sexual Assault Referral Centres

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding her Department has allocated to sexual assault referral centres for 2009-10.

Alan Campbell: The 2009-10 funding round for new and existing Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) was split into two tranches to enable partnerships to plan expenditure and ensure they were able to spend the full amount of funding awarded within the financial year. 1.6 million was made available in total.
	Bids were initially invited in November 2008. 574,000 was awarded to 20 SARCs in that initial round. A further bidding round to spend the remainder of the funding will open in April 2009.

Sexual Assault Referral Centres

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sexual assault referral centres will open in  (a) the next 12 months and  (b) the next five years.

Alan Campbell: There are currently 27 sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) open and a further 10 in development. Of those in development, the Government estimate that five will open within 12 months and an additional three will offer a partial service. By the end of 2010 those offering a partial service will open fully, as will the other two SARCs in development.
	The Home Secretary has made a commitment to have at least one SARC in every police force area by 2011. A bidding round for funding for new and existing SARCs will be announced in April.

Sexual Offences

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps she has taken to ensure that police forces have adequate resources to protect people in local communities from sex offenders.

Alan Campbell: Resources are essentially an operational issue for individual police forces. However, the Government grant on services for the police will have increased by over 60 per cent (or by over 3.7 billion) between 1997-98 and 2010-11.

Sexual Offences: Crime Prevention

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to reduce levels of sexual violence and abuse; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: The Government set out their plans to tackle this issue in the cross-Government Action Plan on Sexual Violence and Abuse published in 2007. This set out three aims: increasing access to health and support services for victims, improving the criminal justice response, and maximising prevention. Action has been taken to support each of these aims and an update will be available later in the year.

Speed Limits: Measuring Instruments

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies her Department has conducted to assess the potential for human error when using the VASCAR system of speed detection.

Alan Campbell: The VASCAR speed measurement device is approved by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) as a device that is suitable for police use to support an officer's opinion that a vehicle was speeding. ACPO have issued guidance which requires officers to be trained and to pass a test of their performance. I am satisfied that when a trained and successfully tested operator uses a VASCAR device in line with the ACPO guidance, the device will be accurate and provide useful corroborative evidence.

Speed Limits: Measuring Instruments

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies her Department has conducted to assess the impact of police radio waves on the VASCAR system of speed estimation.

Alan Campbell: When the police Airwave radio system was introduced, there were comprehensive tests as to the likelihood that it might interfere with other technological devices, such as VASCAR. Advice was issued on operational practice.

Speed Limits: Measuring Instruments

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent guidance her Department has given police forces on use of the VASCAR system of speed estimation in the light of their withdrawal from use in Scotland; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: VASCAR is a device approved by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) as a means of corroborating an officer's opinion that a vehicle was speeding. Guidance on its use is a matter for ACPO. I understand that use was suspended briefly in Scotland while existing guidance was clarified, but that it has now been reinstated. It is now clearly understood that VASCAR can always be used without the risk of Airwave radio interference if the radio is switched off or its transmit inhibit function has been activated, or if an active radio is outside a police vehicle and VASCAR inside, there is a distance of at least two metres between them.

Speed Limits: Measuring Instruments

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces in England and Wales use the VASCAR system of speed estimation.

Alan Campbell: This information is not available centrally. The decision as to which devices to use in speed limit enforcement is a matter for individual chief officers of police.

Standing Advisory Committees

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what standing advisory committees her Department has; and what the membership is of each.

Jacqui Smith: Details of Home Office Public Bodies, including its advisory committees, are published annually on the Home Office website. The latest publication can be found using the following link:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/public-bodies-list-08?view=Binary.
	The membership of each committee can be found on their individual websites.

Standing Advisory Committees

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of her Department's science advisory committee have  (a) received and  (b) applied for grants for research from her Department.

Jacqui Smith: No members of the Home Office Science Advisory Committee are currently funded as a project leader for research either from a grant or a research contract from the Home Office.
	The Home Office does not keep lists of named, unsuccessful, grant or research contract applicants. The Home Office keeps the individual bids for a period of time, but an answer cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

Standing Advisory Committees

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has paid in grants to research projects in which each member of the Department's science advisory committee has taken part in the last 12 months.

Jacqui Smith: No current members of the Home Office Science Advisory Committee have directly received funding either as a grant or a research contract, as a project leader, in the last 12 months. While we record the project leader and other key researchers on contracts or grants, we do not record the names of all scientists that may take part in the research. It is possible that some Home Office Science Advisory Committee members have taken part in projects in a lesser capacity than project leader or key researcher.

Stop and Account

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date the stop and account form will have been withdrawn from use.

Jacqui Smith: The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Codes of Practice) (Revisions to Code A) (No. 2) Order 2008 (SI 2008/3146) came into effect on 1 January 2009. From that date, an officer conducting a stop and account has not been required to complete a record of the encounter other than to record ethnicity.

Stun Guns: Children

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times a Taser gun has been used  (a) on a child and  (b) within 10 metres of a child in each police authority area in England in each of the last two years.

Jacqui Smith: The number of times a Taser has been used on a person under 18 years of age in England and Wales in 2007 and 2008 is shown in the table. Information is not collected on the number of times Taser is deployed within 10 metres of a child.
	The total number of subjects exposed to the use of Taser over both these periods totals 2,222 individuals. However only for 2,174 of these were ages reported, the remaining 48 had no reported age for the subjects.
	
		
			   Totals 
			   2007  2008 (January to August) 
			  Force  18 years  18+ years  18 years  18+ years 
			 Avon and Somerset Constabulary 3 26 1 62 
			 Bedfordshire Police  14  20 
			 Cambridgeshire Constabulary  15 2 54 
			 Cheshire Constabulary  10  13 
			 City of London Police  3   
			 Cleveland Police 4 35 4 23 
			 Cumbria Constabulary  14 2 23 
			 Derbyshire Constabulary 1 11 1 18 
			 Devon and Cornwall Constabulary 1 15  54 
			 Dorset Police 1 16  11 
			 Durham Constabulary 1 12  17 
			 Dyfed Powys Police  4 1 3 
			 Essex Police  7 1 23 
			 Gloucestershire Constabulary 1 13  21 
			 Greater Manchester Police 1 11  10 
			 Gwent Police 1 9  22 
			 Hampshire Constabulary  2  3 
			 Hertfordshire Constabulary  21 1 34 
			 Humberside Police 1 27 1 45 
			 Kent Police  7  14 
			 Lancashire Constabulary 1 40 1 29 
			 Leicestershire Constabulary  6 1 51 
			 Lincolnshire Police  8 1 4 
			 Merseyside Police 1 16  16 
			 Metropolitan Police Service 3 83 26 186 
			 Norfolk Constabulary  7  25 
			 North Wales Police 4 27 3 41 
			 North Yorkshire Police  15 2 39 
			 Northamptonshire Police 1 5  5 
			 Northumbria Police 3 69 17 215 
			 Nottinghamshire Police  2  7 
			 South Wales Police 2 5  24 
			 South Yorkshire Police  2 1 6 
			 Staffordshire Police 1 41 1 29 
			 Suffolk Constabulary 1 7  12 
			 Surrey Police  3 1 13 
			 Sussex Police 1 l4  18 
			 Thames Valley Police 1 5 1 5 
			 Warwickshire Police2 
			 West Mercia Constabulary 1 24 4 29 
			 West Midlands Police 1 20  10 
			 West Yorkshire Police  40 1 85 
			 Wiltshire Constabulary  2 1 28 
			 X not stated  1   
			 Total 36 714 75 1,349 
		
	
	
		
			   Subject 18 years 
			   Usage 
			   2007  2008 (January to August) 
			  Force  Drawn  Aimed  Red dot  Arced  Drive stun  Fired  Drawn  Aimed  Red dot  Arced  Drive stun  Fired 
			 Avon and Somerset Constabulary 1   2  1   
			 Bedfordshire Police 
			 Cambridgeshire Constabulary 2
			 Cheshire Constabulary 
			 City of London Police 
			 Cleveland Police   3   1   3   1 
			 Cumbria Constabulary 2
			 Derbyshire Constabulary   11  
			 Devon and Cornwall Constabulary  1   
			 Dorset Police 1
			 Durham Constabulary   1  
			 Dyfed Powys Police 1
			 Essex Police   1  
			 Gloucestershire Constabulary   1  
			 Greater Manchester Police  1   
			 Gwent Police   1  
			 Hampshire Constabulary 
			 Hertfordshire Constabulary1 
			 Humberside Police   1  1
			 Kent Police 
			 Lancashire Constabulary  1   1
			 Leicestershire Constabulary   1  
			 Lincolnshire Police 1
			 Merseyside Police  1   
			 Metropolitan Police Service  3 4 1 10 1 2 8 
			 Norfolk Constabulary 
			 North Wales Police 1  311 1 
			 North Yorkshire Police   1  1
			 Northamptonshire Police  1   
			 Northumbria Police   33 1 9 1  3 
			 Nottinghamshire Police 
			 South Wales Police   2  
			 South Yorkshire Police 1
			 Staffordshire Police   1  1
			 Suffolk Constabulary  1   
			 Surrey Police   1  
			 Sussex Police  1   
			 Thames Valley Police   1  1
			 Warwickshire Police 
			 West Mercia Constabulary 11   3 
			 West Midlands Police  1   
			 West Yorkshire Police 1
			 Wiltshire Constabulary 1
			 X not stated 
			 Total 3 1 18 2 1 11 10 2 37 3 6 17 
			  Notes: 1. All figures are based on police force returns detailing Taser deployments up to and including 31 August 2008. 2. 'Use' as defined by ACPO: TASER Operational Guidance December 2008 policy section 5.2. 3. The term 'use of the Taser' will include any of the following actions carried out in an operational setting: Drawing of a Taser in circumstances where any person perceives the action as a use of force. Sparking of the Taser commonly known as arcing. Aiming of the Taser or placing the laser sight red dot onto a subject. Firing of a Taser so that the barbs are discharged at a subject. Application and Discharge of a Taser in drive stun mode to a subject.

Surveillance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer to Lord Stoddart of Swindon of 15 October 2008,  Official Report, House of Lords, column 56WA, on surveillance, what the terms of reference are of the review of public authorities' use of powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000; who is conducting the review; and what evidence is being taken to inform the review.

Vernon Coaker: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 16 December that the Government would consult on a number of changes proposed to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), including which public authorities can use RIPA powers and for what purposes. The consultation is planned for early this year and the outcome of the consultation will also be made public.

Surveillance: Local Authorities

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 13 January 2009,  Official Report, column 728W, on surveillance: local authorities, in respect of which public authorities the Investigatory Powers Tribunal made a determination in favour of the complainants; and whether copies of those determinations are held by her Department.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office is not provided with and does not hold copies of Investigatory Powers Tribunal determinations or details of the public authorities concerned. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal is independent of Government. Under Rule 6(6) of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal Rules (Statutory Instrument 2000 No. 2665) the Tribunal may not, without the consent of the complainant, disclose to any person information or documents provided to it. The Tribunal's website: www.ipt-uk.com gives examples of anonymised rulings following some of its hearings.

Tackling Knives Action Programme

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on the Tackling Knives Action Programme in each of the last six months; and how much is budgeted to be spent on the programme in each of the next 12 months.

Jacqui Smith: Between August 2008 and March 2009, a total of 2.37 million was disbursed to support the work of the Tackling Knives Action programme. See following table for monthly breakdown.
	The budget for 2009-10 has not yet been finalised.
	
		
			  TKAP Funding August 2008 to January 2009 
			  Breakdown by month  Funding () 
			 August 750,000.00 
			 September 1,068,687.50 
			 October 345,000.00 
			 November 51,432.50 
			 December 0 
			 January 155,622.50 
			 Total 2,370,742.50

Terrorism

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how she plans to ensure that Independent Advisory Groups are able to deal with the aftermath of local counter-terror operations; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Association of Chief Police Officers has issued guidance to forces to assist them in managing concerns and tensions within local communities during and following a counter terrorist operation. The guidance suggests that the police include members of Independent Advisory Groups (IAG), as well as police authority members and locally elected members, in the group that is formed to deal with the operation.
	At a strategic level, a National Independent Advisory Group has recently been formed to represent the local IAGs at a national level. This group will act as a central resource to forces in order to provide specific community expertise and advice in the event of a counter terrorist operation.
	Separately, a two day table top exercise (Op Nicole) has been developed by the Association of Chief Police Officers Terrorism and Allied Matters (ACPO (TAM)), National Community Tension Team. It is designed to break down barriers between police and Muslim communities by promoting an understanding of how counter-terrorism operations work. At the same time, it provides police officers with an insight into Muslim community concerns and the impact that counter-terrorism operations can have upon those communities. It also addresses some of the myths that surround CT work.

Terrorism

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps the Government have taken to improve counter-terror policing in the West Midlands.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 22 January 2009
	We have worked with ACPO and West Midlands Police since 2004-05 to establish a counter-terrorism capacity and capability outside London. The Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) in Birmingham developed from this pilot work to become, in early 2007, one of three strategically located units of national assets placed under the local control of a lead force. The CTUs enhance, complement and support the work of police forces by providing coordination and specialist support to deliver our counter-terrorism strategy. West Midlands CTU has a broad operational capability that incorporates intelligence, investigation and surveillance functions. Personnel working within the unit have been responsible for a number of arrests and prosecutions as well as more discrete day-to-day prevention and disruption activity to counter the threat posed by terrorism.

Terrorism Act 2000: Prosecutions

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions there have been for offences under sections (i) 11, (ii) 12 and (iii) 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 in each year since 2001.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not currently available.
	The Home Office, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General's Office are currently working with the National Coordinator for Terrorist Investigations to improve the quality of data relating to those arrested, charged, convicted and imprisoned under terrorist legislation and under other legislation but considered terrorist related. As soon as this is complete a Statistical Bulletin covering this information will be published by the Home Office.

Vetting: Apprentices

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many Criminal Record Bureau checks have been processed in respect of employers taking on young apprentices in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will estimate the cost to the public purse of processing the Criminal Record Bureau checks required as a result of the planned expansion of youth apprenticeships; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: The Criminal Records Bureau does not hold this information. The Disclosure Service is only available for those positions and types of work included in the Exceptions Order (1975) to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The standard and enhanced disclosure process includes checks against the Police National Computer (PNC) and, if applicable, a search against Section 142 of the Education Act 2002, the Protection of Children Act 1999 and Protection of Vulnerable Adults (PoCA and PoVA) lists. Enhanced disclosures also contain a further check conducted by police forces for any relevant non-conviction information.
	All individuals who have received a successful offer of employment for a role which brings them into contact with children or vulnerable adults are subject to these checks.

Young People: Arrests

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of people aged 18 years or under who lived in the most deprived decile of lower layer super output areas in 2008, as determined by the income deprivation affecting children index, were arrested in 2008.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, police force area and age group, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery. Information on the individual circumstances of persons arrested is not reported to the Home Office as a part of the arrests collection.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments: Admissions

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) adults and  (b) children were admitted to accident and emergency departments as a result of attacks by dogs in each of the last five years, broken down by hospital trust.

Ben Bradshaw: The information is not available in the format requested. The following tables show the count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) where the external cause code is W54 (bitten or struck by dog) for the strategic health authority (SHA) of treatment, for adults and children admitted to hospital through accident and emergency, over the last five years. A direct comparison is not possible before and after 2006 when the SHAs were restructured, which is why there are two separate tables.
	
		
			   2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03 
			  SHA of treatment  Under 18  18 and over  Under 18  18 and over  Under 18  18 and over  Under 18  18 and over 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA 31 99 39 78 46 92 23 66 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA 31 65 30 59 44 67 36 54 
			 Essex SHA 30 75 37 61 26 59 28 54 
			 North West London SHA 11 52 19 29 * 37 19 29 
			 North Central London SHA 13 35 7 21 8 17 11 23 
			 North East London SHA 26 25 24 30 13 33 12 9 
			 South East London SHA 22 34 19 40 9 36 * 43 
			 South West London SHA 22 41 18 31 21 31 16 44 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear SHA 61 107 43 81 45 98 41 60 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA 70 99 62 97 66 97 65 85 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire SHA 29 58 42 59 40 49 30 60 
			 West Yorkshire SHA 95 180 78 130 76 91 88 95 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 51 65 42 64 39 60 51 42 
			 Greater Manchester SHA 68 142 52 87 49 82 64 75 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside SHA 132 195 123 155 107 122 101 121 
			 Thames Valley SHA 38 104 43 101 41 97 44 79 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA 29 48 25 34 23 31 37 29 
			 Kent and Medway SHA 10 56 15 38 20 39 60 85 
			 Surrey and Sussex SHA 73 113 73 100 61 88 41 48 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA 54 123 57 101 46 100 44 66 
			 South West Peninsula SHA 22 75 34 59 30 59 22 60 
			 Dorset and Somerset SHA 14 29 14 28 18 20 20 23 
			 South Yorkshire SHA 42 62 36 73 33 69 39 76 
			 Trent SHA 47 108 75 83 62 61 80 81 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland SHA 35 40 27 34 32 36 13 * 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA 42 56 35 64 27 61 19 52 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country SHA 65 140 57 112 45 79 42 83 
			 West Midlands South SHA 24 55 24 45 25 35 20 44 
		
	
	
		
			   2006-07 
			  SHA of treatment  Under 18  18 and over 
			 North East SHA 130 209 
			 North West SHA 241 426 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber SHA 168 353 
			 East Midlands SHA 95 169 
			 West Midlands SHA 146 261 
			 East of England SHA 106 229 
			 London SHA 127 242 
			 South East Coast SHA 94 190 
			 South Central SHA 75 165 
			 South West SHA 95 266 
			  Notes: 1. FAE: A FAE is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. Data quality: HES are compiled from data sent by over 300 national health service trusts, and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data are also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. 3. Ungrossed data: Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (ie the data are ungrossed). 4. Low numbers: Due to reasons of confidentiality, figures between one and five have been suppressed and replaced with *(an asterisk).  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care

Action on Smoking and Health

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has paid to Action on Smoking and Health in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department's grants to Action on Smoking and Health are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year  Grants () 
			 2003-04 164,000 
			 2004-05 168,000 
			 2005-06 180,000 
			 2006-07 185,400 
			 2007-08 191,000

Alcoholism: Health Services

Bill Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specialist training is available for general practitioners to ensure that primary care services respond to the health needs of patients presenting with severe alcohol dependency.

Dawn Primarolo: It is the responsibility of primary care trusts to ensure that their existing health care staff are well trained and provided with the opportunity to receive continuing professional development.
	However, the Government are committed to actively supporting the training of undergraduate doctors, some of whom will go on to become general practitioners, in helping to reduce the harms that are attributable to alcohol misuse.
	This will include ensuring that around 60,000 new doctors leaving medical training in England, over a 10 year period, will be able to deliver competent practice in both drug and alcohol misuse, including a clear focus on the recognition and the management of risky and harmful alcohol consumption.
	We allocated 650,000 in 2008 for the developmental work medical schools will need to carry out, to embed such an integrated substance misuse curriculum into their own core teaching and training programmes. This funding will enable the first major tranche of medical schools to make the changes needed; with full roll-out across all schools over the following three years.

Allergies: Medical Treatments

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the effective ban on desensitisation as a treatment for allergy; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received five written inquiries and three telephone inquiries, one of which related directly to one of the written inquiries, concerning sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) products used for desensitisation to allergies.
	These products are unlicensed medicinal products and importation from elsewhere in the European Economic Area requires prior notification to the MHRA by a licensed importer. Notifications are assessed for regulatory compliance and for known issues with safety and quality and the MHRA may object to importation. In 2005 the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM, now the Commission on Human Medicines, (CHM) advised the MHRA that they should not object to the importation of unlicensed pollen based SLIT products, provided they were for use in non-asthmatic adults under the supervision of NHS specialists with access to resuscitation equipment. On this basis, the MHRA will object to importation of all non-pollen based SLIT products.
	The MHRA has recently become aware that certain unlicensed SLIT products have been imported into the United Kingdom without prior notification to the Agency. The importer has been instructed to cease importation and distribution.
	The MHRA is encouraging importers to make appropriate notifications. Some have been received and assessed in line with the CSM advice, with non-objections to import issued for pollen based SLIT products. Non-pollen based SLIT products continue to attract objections to import.

Arun Community Hospital

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the rebuilding of the Arun Community Hospital in Littlehampton.

Ben Bradshaw: It is the responsibility of primary care trusts (PCTs) to plan, develop and improve health services for their local population. This is therefore a matter for West Sussex PCT, which is working to develop its business case in relation to the planned new facility in Littlehampton with the support of the South East Coast strategic health authority.

Autism: Essex

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much each primary care trust in Essex has spent on services for  (a) adults and  (b) children with autism in the last three years.

Phil Hope: The information requested is not held centrally. However, it is the responsibility of primary care trusts to ensure that the services they commission meet the needs of the communities that they serve. This includes the commissioning of services for those people with autism.

Biobank Initiative

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have volunteered to participate in the Biobank initiative to date; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: As at 6pm on 17 February 2009, UK Biobank had recruited 258,542 people. It aims to recruit 500,000 people aged 40-69 who agree to be part of this important national resource for health research. It is on target to achieve this by mid-2010.

Blood: Contamination

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) correspondence and  (b) meetings his Department has with the inquiry team of the independent public inquiry into contaminated blood products (i) prior to and (ii) subsequent to the beginning of the inquiry; on which dates such meetings occurred; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: A search of departmental records shows approximately 50 items of correspondence between the Department and the Independent Inquiry into Contaminated Blood and Blood Products.
	Only one piece of correspondence dates from before the start of the inquiry (27 March 2007). This was a letter from Lord Archer to the Secretary of State dated 16 February 2007.
	Officials from the Department attended four meetings with the Inquiry. These took place on 25 April 2007, 19 September 2007, 18 February 2008 and 12 June 2008. No meetings were held prior to the start of the inquiry.
	The following table shows the main correspondence between the Department and the Inquiry team. The remaining items consisted of e-mails discussing administrative arrangements relating to meetings and the delivery of documents.
	
		
			  Date  Type  From  To  About 
			 16 February 2007 Letter Inquiry Department of Health, Secretary of State Inquiry being set up 
			 30 March 2007 Letter Department of Health, Minister of State Inquiry Reply to letter of 16 February 2007 
			 10 February 2007 E-mail Department of Health Inquiry E-mail providing information on the chronology of screening of blood donors 
			 22 May 2007 Letter Department of Health, Minister of State Inquiry Release of report Review of documentation relating to the safety of blood products 1970 -1985 (non-A, non-B hepatitis) 
			 14 June 2007 Documents Department of Health Inquiry Letter plus copies of 20 volumes of official documents 
			 10 July 2007 Documents Department of Health Inquiry Letter plus copies of 20 volumes of official documents 
			 1 August 2007 Documents Department of Health Inquiry Letter plus copies of 20 volumes of official documents 
			 22 August 2007 Letter Department of Health Inquiry Letter providing information on prion removal technologies 
			 31 August 2007 Documents Department of Health Inquiry Letter plus copies of 20 volumes of official documents 
			 22 August 2008 Letter Inquiry Department of Health Reply to letter of 22 August 2007 
			 5 September 2007 Documents Department of Health Inquiry Letter plus copies of 20 volumes of official documents 
			 18 September 2007 E-mail Department of Health Inquiry Clarifying an issue with private office correspondence 
			 26 October 2007 Documents and Letter Department of Health Inquiry Letter plus copies of 20 volumes of official documents; Letter with copies of two further documents 
			 2 January 2008 Documents Department of Health Inquiry Letter with copies of six official documents 
			 28 March 2008 Documents Department of Health Inquiry Letter with copies of three official documents 
			 1 April 2008 Documents Department of Health Inquiry Letter with copies of three official documents 
			 2 May 2008 Documents Department of Health Inquiry Letter with copy of one official document 
			 16 June 2008 E-mail Department of Health Inquiry E-mail providing information on the timetable for heat-treatment 
			 8 October 2008 Letter and Documents Department of Health Inquiry Letter with copies of 10 official documents 
			 16 October 2008 Letter Inquiry Department of Health Reply to letter of 8 October 2008

Blood: Donation

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of donated blood was used in each year since 1999.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available for the entire time period, as data for full 12 month periods have only been submitted and collated since 2005-06.
	The Blood Stocks Management Scheme (BSMS) was established by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) in 2001 with the aim of understanding and improving blood inventory management across the blood supply chain. Hospitals in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland currently submit data on blood usage to the scheme. However, it is important to note that participation is voluntary, and although the majority of hospitals now submit data to the scheme this has gradually increased since its inception.
	The following table shows the number of hospitals in England and North Wales providing data to the BSMS; the percentage of units transfused; and the percentage of units not transfused in each year since 2005-06:
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Whole blood donations collected (thousand) 2,039 1,971 1,972 
			 Red cells validated (thousand)(1) 1,939 1,876 1,838 
			 Red cells expired 6 6 3 
			 Red cells issuable 1,933 1,870 1,835 
			 Percentage red cells issuable 94.8 94.9 95.2 
			 Red cells issued (thousand) 1,941 1,873 1,825 
			 Number of hospitals participating(2) 119 119 112 
			 Percentage transfused(3) 97.1 99.8 100.4 
			 Percentage not transfused 2.2 2.2 2.6 
			 (1) A validated unit of red cells is one that has been processed, tested, and labelled/validated as fit for issue to hospitals. (2) Participating hospitals have only been submitting data on units transfused for a full 12 months since 2005-06. (3) Figures stated for the percentage of units transfused and not transfused are based on data submitted by hospitals compared against NHSBT figures for number of units issued. There is a small degree of duplication in submitted data due to the transfer of blood between hospitals, meaning some figures exceed 100.  Source: NHS Blood and Transplant

Cancer: Fuel Poverty

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information on how to avoid fuel poverty is routinely provided to cancer patients  (a) during and  (b) following their treatment; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on tackling fuel poverty is made available to all on a wide basis. This includes through the health sector who will have contact with patients including those being treated for cancer who may benefit from a range of measures, support and advice available.
	The Department of Health produce a booklet annually as part of the cross-government Keep Warm Keep Well Campaign. The booklet is distributed free of charge to groups, organisations, GP surgeries, individuals and patients.
	The booklet is complimented by the Keep Warm Keep Well pages on the Direct Gov website:
	http://www.direct.gov.uk/keepwarmkeepwell

Chronically Sick

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis is for the statement that the prevalence of long-term conditions across the country correlates with a range of factors that includes age and deprivation as referred to on page 24 of his Department's White Paper, Pharmacy in England, Cm 7341, with what other factors long-term conditions have been correlated; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Evidence that the relative prevalence of long-term conditions across England is linked to age and deprivation is available from the Healthcare Commission's local health services survey along with a number of other surveys. There is no single factor that explains prevalence, rather there are a number of factors correlated to variations in prevalence across England: age and deprivation are most significant and linked to this is socio-economic status and lifestyle choices.

Community Hospitals

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the funding made available under the community hospitals programme  (a) had and  (b) had not been allocated at the latest date for which figures are available; what timetable he has set for considering further applications for funding under the programme; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: We have approved funding for 28 capital schemes, which brings our commitment to 243.5 million from the community hospitals and services fund that has a total value of up to 750 million. We have recently conducted a trawl for local plans for further schemes and are currently considering the results. As a consequence, we have not set a timetable.

Continuing Care

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were in receipt of NHS continuing care in each primary care trust in England per  (a) 10,000 weighted heads and  (b) 10,000 unweighted heads since 31 March 2007.

Phil Hope: The requested information for each primary care trust, by 10,000 unweighted population, has been placed in the Library. We are unable to supply information, weighted with respect to population aged over 18, as the population figures are collected in five year groupings.

National Dementia Strategy

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  on what dates  (a) he,  (b) his Ministers and  (c) his officials met HM Treasury Ministers and officials to discuss his Department's national dementia strategy;
	(2)  what consideration he gave to announcing to Parliament the funding settlement for the national dementia strategy;
	(3)  if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's funding proposal for the national dementia strategy.

Phil Hope: The Department and Her Majesty's Treasury had regular keep in touch meetings to discuss upcoming policies and discussions about the national dementia strategy which took place on an ongoing basis in the months prior to the launch of the Strategy.
	Parliament was informed of the publication of the national dementia strategy on 3 February by means of a written parliamentary statement. Hon. Members were also informed that copies of the Strategy had been placed in the Vote Office, and in the Library. The Strategy itself did not refer to funding. However, the impact assessment, published on the Department's website alongside the strategy, set out in detail the potential costs associated with different implementation options.
	The Department has announced funding of 150 million to support implementation of the national dementia strategy in 2009-10 and 2010-11. An outline of indicative costs for implementing the strategy are set out in the Impact Assessment for the strategy, available of the Department's website, although decisions on funding for future years will be made in the light of learning from the demonstrator sites and evidence gathering of the first two years. This information is contained with Living well with dementia: A National Dementia Strategy which has already been placed in the Library.

National Dementia Strategy

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what timetable he has set for establishing memory clinics; how many he plans to establish; in which towns; how much each will cost; how many staff each will need; when the rollout will start; and when it will be complete.

Phil Hope: Decisions about the nature, number and funding of memory services will be made locally by primary care trusts, depending on local circumstances.

National Dementia Strategy

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he plans to monitor the development of models of housing to meet the needs of people with dementia and their carers.

Phil Hope: Decisions about monitoring implementation of the national dementia strategy, including the housing elements, will be taken during 2009-10 by the Older People and Dementia Programme Board.

National Dementia Strategy

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been set aside for the public information campaign on the national dementia strategy; and when this will be rolled out.

Phil Hope: The Department has allocated initial funding of 4.5 million to raise public awareness of dementia during 2009-10 and 2010-11. In addition to this, we will look to primary care trusts to raise awareness locally.

National Dementia Strategy

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes he plans to make to the next operating framework for dementia.

Phil Hope: The Department will make decisions about the next operating framework later in 2009.

National Dementia Strategy

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been allocated to the review of existing relevant information sets as part of his Department's work on dementia; and when he expects this work to be completed.

Phil Hope: The Department has allocated 1.5 million to the review of information sets. This work will be completed during 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Dementia: Care Homes

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he plans to publish guidance for care home staff on best practice in dementia care;
	(2)  what timetable he has set for care homes to identify a senior staff member within the home to take the lead for quality improvement in its care of people with dementia; and what funding he has allocated for the purpose.

Phil Hope: The Department will develop guidance on best practice for care home staff during 2009-10.
	We will look to care homes identifying a senior member of staff to lead on dementia care as soon as possible, taking account of the priority attached to implementation of the national dementia strategy. Guidance will be issued to care homes during the course of 2009-10 on best practice in dementia care.

Dementia: Elderly

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who sits on his Department's programme board for older people and dementia.

Phil Hope: Representatives from Age Concern, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Help the Aged, the Local Government Association, the Alzheimer's Society, the Commission for Social Care Inspection, Better Government for Older People, the Department of Work and Pensions, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Care Quality Commission have been invited to serve on the Board alongside departmental officials responsible for the implementation of the national dementia strategy.

Dementia: Health Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects hospitals to identify a senior clinician to take the lead for quality improvement in dementia; and what funding he is making available for that post;
	(2)  when he expects hospitals to develop an explicit care pathway for the management and care of people with dementia.

Phil Hope: We will look to hospitals to identify a senior clinician to commence work on quality improvement in dementia and also to develop a care pathway for people with dementia as soon as possible, taking account of the priority attached to implementation of the national dementia strategy.
	The Department has made available 150 million to fund implementation of the national dementia strategy. Decisions on funding individual objectives of the strategy will be taken locally.

Dementia: Medicine

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues on the use of anti-psychotic medication for people with dementia.

Phil Hope: The Department is currently conducting a review of the use of anti-psychotic medication and will report on its findings in spring 2009.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in his Department were disciplined for  (a) bullying and  (b) harassment of colleagues in each of the last three years.

Ben Bradshaw: None of the Department's staff has been disciplined for either bullying or harassment in any of the last three years.

Departmental ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Programme for IT contracts is covered by the 50 per cent. growth limit set in public procurement legislation; and what price each contract would have to reach to exceed that limit.

Ben Bradshaw: One of the exemptions allowing the growth of contracts under the public contracts regulations 2006 is a cap on the extended value of a contract to 50 per cent., of the value payable under the original contract. This cap is relevant where a contracting authority requires additional services which cannot for technical or economic reasons be provided separately from another source without major inconvenience, or where services are strictly necessary to the later stages of the performance of the contract.
	Use of this exemption is assessed for each national programme contract as necessary, and monitoring is undertaken to ensure the relevant amounts are not exceeded.
	The value of the core national programme contracts is given at figure 6 on page 25 of the National Audit Office report 'The National Programme for IT in the NHS: Progress since 2006', which can be found at:
	www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/07-08/0708484i.pdf

Departmental ICT

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on press and public relations work related to the Connecting for Health programme in each year since its announcement.

Ben Bradshaw: Information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year  Expenditure () 
			 2003-04 302,407 
			 2004-05 121,737 
			 2005-06 1,618 
			 2006-07 455,782 
			 2007-08 1,280,796 
			 2008(1) 73,252 
			 (1) 1 April to 31 December 2008.  Note: Figures relate to externally contracted services (exclusive of VAT) and exclude staff costs. 
		
	
	There was a peak in media activity, including stakeholder engagement exercises, in 2007-08 when external resources were procured to supplement in-house resources and to support local national health service organisations in press activity covering local deployments, particularly picture archiving and communications (digital imaging) systems, and to also help meet the Public Accounts Committee recommendation from June 2006 on increasing stakeholder engagement. These activities, in addition to supporting the public information programme in summary care record early adopter areas, accounted for an increase in costs.

Departmental ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Department has spent on legal fees relating to the NHS IT programme in the last 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: In the calendar year 1 January-31 December 2008 3.969 million, excluding VAT, was paid to lawyers for services received by NHS Connecting for Health in relation to its role in delivering the NHS IT programme, and maintaining the critical business systems previously provided to the national health service by the former NHS Information Authority.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether special advisers in his Department count time taken in answering calls from hon. Members as part of their contracted hours of work;
	(2)  what briefings special advisers in his Department have prepared using IT systems provided by his Department in the last six months; and to whom the briefings were distributed.

Ben Bradshaw: Special advisers carry out all elements of their role in accordance with the code of conduct for special advisers.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health from which budget his Department's 100 million Privacy and Dignity Fund will be provided; and upon what criteria such funding will be allocated.

Ann Keen: The 100 million Privacy and Dignity Fund is being made available from the Department's unallocated central contingency for 2009-10. It is expected that the funding will be allocated based on plans received from strategic health authorities.

Departmental Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2009 , Official Report, column 1370W, on redundancy, what estimate he has made of the annual payroll savings resulting from staff exit schemes in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07,  (c) 2007-08 and  (d) 2008-09 excluding the cost of severance packages; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent figures for 2009-10.

Ben Bradshaw: The actual cost of the salaries of staff leaving the Department through exit schemes is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Total actual salaries cost () 
			 2005-06 1,658,281 
			 2006-07 2,186,516 
			 2007-08 2,880,630 
			 2008-09 (1)674,372 
			 (1) To date. 
		
	
	No estimate has been made for 2009-10.

Departmental Sick Leave

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in his Department were on sick leave for  (a) over 30 days,  (b) over 50 days and  (c) over 100 days in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: The number of staff on sick leave for the periods requested are presented in the following table.
	
		
			  Calendar year  31 to 50 days sick leave  51 to 100 days sick leave  Over 100 days sick leave 
			 2008 54 35 41 
			 2007 25 57 48 
			 2006 43 42 56 
			 2005 46 51 60 
			 2004 51 57 112

Departmental Sick Leave

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in his Department were recorded as having been on sick leave for over 12 months on 31 December in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: The number of employees in the Department recorded as having been on sick leave for over 12 months on 31 December in each of the last five years is presented in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of employees on sick leave for over 12 months on  31 December 
			 2008  
			 2007 2 
			 2006  
			 2005 1 
			 2004 1

Departmental Translation Services

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many language translators are employed in  (a) each of his Department's executive agencies and  (b) its non-ministerial department; and what the cost of translating services provided by such people was in the latest period for which information is available.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department: and its agencies do not employ language translators. The Department and its agencies purchase translation services from the Central Office of Information and approved suppliers. These services are purchased locally by directorates where required.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of patient drug treatment programmes which had the capacity to treat  (a) nationwide,  (b) in each region and  (c) in each of the five smallest geographical areas for which figures are available in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: We do not centrally collect information on the capacity of drug misuse treatment services.
	However, as part of their remit to improve the availability and effectiveness of drug treatment, the national treatment agency for substance misuse through the annual drug treatment planning process ensures that all 149 local drug partnerships are commissioning and providing a comprehensive range of drug treatment services that meets the needs of their drug misusing populations.

General Practitioners

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what accountability provisions there are for GPs in the new contract; what requirements there are for GPs to provide explanations for instances where  (a) misdiagnosis and  (b) other forms of mistreatment have occurred; and who is responsible for ensuring that such requirements are met.

Ben Bradshaw: It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) to ensure that those providing NHS primary medical services meet the terms of their contract. There are requirements for those contracts set out in the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2004, the National Health Service (Personal Medical Services Agreements) Regulations 2004 and the National Health Service Act 2006: Alternative Provider Medical Services Directions 2008. Where a contractor fails to comply with the terms of their contract, the PCT may issue a remedial notice giving the contractor a specified time within which the concerns should be remedied. Where the contractor takes no steps to remedy the matter, the PCT may terminate the contract. In certain circumstances, the PCT may impose sanctions on the contractor.
	There are no contractual requirements for general practitioners (GPs) or GP practices to provide explanation for instances where misdiagnosis and other forms of mistreatment have occurred.
	Under the terms of their contract, GPs are obliged to operate a complaints procedure which allows patients to raise concerns about any matter connected to the provision of services under the contract. Under this procedure, all complaints must be properly investigated and the complainant given a written summary of the investigation and its conclusions. There are also requirements set out in the regulations and directions referred to regarding the qualification of persons who perform services, conditions for employment and engagement of those persons, training, level of skill, appraisal and assessment.
	Professional guidance published by the General Medical Council (GMC) includes an obligation for doctors to share with patients, in a way they can understand, the information they want or need to know about their condition, its likely progression, and the treatment options available to them, including associated risks and uncertainties and to respond to patients' questions and keep them informed about the progress of their care.
	The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), which rewards GP practices for achieving quality indicators, includes an indicator (Education 4) to reward practices for undertaking a minimum of 12 significant event reviews in the last three years. A significant event occurs when a patient may have been subjected to harm, had the circumstances/outcome been different (near miss). Each review case must consist of a short commentary setting out the relevant history, the circumstances of the episode and an analysis of the conclusions to be drawn. The practice is required to report to the PCT on its analysis and the PCT is expected to discuss the reviews as part of its QOF assessment visit.
	The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has developed a form to help health care staff report patient safety incidents. These are any unintended or unexpected incidents which could have or did lead to harm for one or more patients receiving NHS-funded health care. NPSA recommend that it should be used as soon as possible after the incident has happened.
	Subject to the outcome of consultation, it is planned that the Care Quality Commission will register all GP practices to a consistent set of essential quality and safety criteria. Registration of primary care practices would help both to drive up the quality of practice-level clinical governance and to enable PCTs to concentrate on overseeing a small number of poor-quality practices.

General Practitioners: Finance

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 144-45W, on general practitioners: finance, in which practices the minimum practice income guarantee comprises more than 25 per cent. of total NHS income.

Ben Bradshaw: The list of all those practices with General Medical Services minimum practice income guarantee comprising more than 25 per cent. of their total income is as follows.
	
		
			  Practices with correction factor greater than 25 per cent. of estimated NHS income( 1) 
			   Market forces factor 
			  Practice identifier  Primary care organisation code  PCO name  Pr (patients over 65)  Weighted population  New registrations index  Staff marked forces factor index 
			 5E1A81066 50 North Tees PCT 0.15 3,684 0.98 0.98 
			 5A3L81639 5A3 South Gloucestershire PCT 0.14 1,025 0.97 1.01 
			 5A4F82639 5A4 Havering PCT 0.11 2,524 1.00 1.01 
			 5A8G83068 5A8 Greenwich PCT 0.03 1,582 1.01 1.04 
			 5ANB81671 5AN North East Lincolnshire PCT 0.08 368 0.98 0.96 
			 5C3F84033 5C3 City and Hackney Primary Care Team 0.07 9,777 1.01 1.11 
			 5C3F84119 5C3 City and Hackney Primary Care Team 0.05 7,831 1.02 1.11 
			 5C3F84694 5C3 City and Hackney Primary Care Team 0.04 2,925 0.98 1.11 
			 5C4F84031 5C4 Tower Hamlets Primary Care Team 0.12 10,492 1.00 1.12 
			 5C4F84107 5C4 Tower Hamlets Primary Care Team 0.09 2,604 0.99 1.12 
			 5C5F84671 5C5 Newham Primary Care Team 0.05 1,708 1.01 1.06 
			 5C5F84673 5C5 Newham Primary Care Team 0.03 2,766 1.00 1.06 
			 5F1L83117 5F1 Plymouth Primary Care Trust 0.17 980 1.00 0.96 
			 5GCE81633 5GC Luton 0.06 1,826 1.02 1.02 
			 5HXE85687 5HX Ealing PCT 0.05 1,254 1.04 1.06 
			 5J5P85024 5J5 Oldham Primary Care Trust 0.05 3,406 0.99 0.96 
			 5J5P85622 5J5 Oldham Primary Care Trust 0.04 2,448 0.99 0.96 
			 5K5E84696 5K5 Brent PCT 0.03 1,756 1.02 1.07 
			 5K7F83044 5K7 Camden Primary Care Trust 0.10 4,669 1.04 1.13 
			 5K9H83030 5K9 Croydon Primary Care Trust 0.09 3,147 1.00 1.05 
			 5KLA89012 5KL Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust 0.09 4,563 0.98 0.96 
			 5L1J82663 5L1 Southampton City Primary Care Trust 0.02 2,801 1.07 1.01 
			 5LCE87677 5LC Westminster PCT 0.02 5,647 1.11 1.13 
			 5LCE87691 5LC Westminster PCT 0.00 131 1.09 1.13 
			 5LCE87694 5LC Westminster PCT 0.05 258 1.03 1.13 
			 5LEG85705 5LE Southwark PCT 0.08 4,176 1.06 1.11 
			 5LEY00454 5LE Southwark PCT 0.05 2,285 1.03 1.11 
			 5LFG85711 5LF Lewisham PCT 0.11 1,479 0.99 1.06 
			 5LGH85685 5LG Wandsworth PCT 0.04 1,349 0.99 1.09 
			 5LQG81694 5LQ Brighton and Hove City Teaching PCT 0.03 2,239 1.07 1.01 
			 5M1M85782 5M1 South Birmingham PCT 0.09 1,294 1.04 1.01 
			 5M3Y00228 5M3 Walsall Teaching PCT 0.03 2,327 1.00 0.96 
			 5MKM82607 5MK Telford and Wrekin Primary Care Trust 0.07 2,504 1.01 0.96 
			 5LJB85634 5N2 Kirklees PCT 0.07 2,273 1.00 0.97 
			 5EXC81112 5N7 Derby City PCT 0.14 2,204 0.97 0.96 
			 5EVC84112 5N8 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 0.20 2,866 0.99 0.97 
			 5D5A82038 5NE Cumbria PCT 0.16 3,965 0.99 0.96 
			 5DDA82622 5NE Cumbria PCT 0.01 270 1.09 0.96 
			 5G7P81620 5NH East Lancs PCT 0.18 1,165 0.99 0.95 
			 5E2B82617 5NV North Yorkshire and York PCT 0.29 615 0.97 0.97 
			 5KKB82062 5NV North Yorkshire and York PCT 0.20 2,555 0.98 0.97 
			 5E6B81032 5NX Hull PCT 0.12 3,088 1.00 0.96 
			 5GJE82627 5P3 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 0.09 2,351 1.00 1.02 
			 5GVE82655 5P4 West Hertfordshire PCT 0.08 1,344 1.01 1.05 
			 5L2G82030 5P9 West Kent PCT 0.17 5,544 0.99 1.00 
			 5L2G82234 5P9 West Kent PCT 0.13 4,056 0.99 1.00 
			 5JCC82111 5PA Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 0.00 8,029 1.09 0.98 
			 5EJC82114 5PC Leicester City PCT 0.17 1,908 1.01 0.98 
			 5EYC82659 5PC Leicester City PCT 0.04 2,785 1.01 0.98 
			 5HTM87613 5PE Dudley Primary Care Trust 0.07 847 0.99 0.97 
			 5HTM87628 5PE Dudley Primary Care Trust 0.06 1,634 0.99 0.97 
			 5HVM87634 5PE Dudley Primary Care Trust 0.04 1,019 1.02 0.96 
			 5HWM83670 5PH North Staffordshire PCT 0.02 3,297 1.12 0.95 
			 5DQM83732 5PK South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust 0.11 992 1.00 0.97 
			 5AGD81629 5PN Peterborough PCT 0.09 3,256 1.01 0.99 
			 5JHD81005 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 0.07 7,750 1.05 1.05 
			 5JHD81017 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 0.10 4,631 1.03 1.05 
			 5JHD81037 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 0.06 6,111 1.04 1.05 
			 5JJD81033 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 0.13 4,105 0.99 1.03 
			 5GMF81141 5PW North East Essex PCT 0.05 7,641 1.08 0.98 
			 5GMF81746 5PW North East Essex PCT 0.06 1,544 1.01 0.98 
			 5GMY00484 5PW North East Essex PCT 0.10 3,494 1.04 0.98 
			 5GRF81709 5PY South West Essex PCT 0.07 612 1.02 1.02 
			 5DTK84613 5QE Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust 0.04 6,525 1.01 1.03 
			 5DTK84621 5QE Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust 0.05 3,149 1.00 1.03 
			 5FPJ81623 5QM Dorset Primary Care Trust 0.32 1,166 0.99 0.95 
			 5FML82017 5QP Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 0.17 2,133 1.02 0.93 
			   National average 0.15 6,380 1.00 1.00 
		
	
	
		
			 Standardised limited long-standing illness mortality rate 
			  Practice identifier  Primary care organisation code  PCO name  Number of GPs  Nursing and residential home patients index  Practice population Q2 2006-07  Standardised limited long-standing illness  Standardised mortality rate under 65 
			 5E1A81066 50 North Tees PCT 3 1.00 3,968 88.49 65.47 
			 5A3L81639 5A3 South Gloucestershire PCT 1 1.00 1,274 83.71 68.45 
			 5A4F82639 5A4 Havering PCT 1 1.00 2,814 93.45 97.64 
			 5A8G83068 5A8 Greenwich PCT 1 1.00 1,805 120.78 130.44 
			 5ANB81671 5AN North East Lincolnshire PCT 1 1.00 424 115.30 137.48 
			 5C3F84033 5C3 City and Hackney Primary Care Team 7 1 00 10,165 126.76 121.52 
			 5C3F84119 5C3 City and Hackney Primary Care Team 6 1.00 8,158 123.22 121.82 
			 5C3F84694 5C3 City and Hackney Primary Care Team 1 1.00 3,328 127.57 122.79 
			 5C4F84031 5C4 Tower Hamlets Primary Care Team 7 1.00 9,720 133.09 126.46 
			 5C4F84107 5C4 Tower Hamlets Primary Care Team 2 1.00 2,563 134.99 145.41 
			 5C5F84671 5C5 Newham Primary Care Team 1 1.00 1,948 126.25 123.52 
			 5C5F84673 5C5 Newham Primary Care Team 1 1.00 3,638 126.09 133.67 
			 5F1L83117 5F1 Plymouth Primary Care Trust 1 1.00 992 113.99 99.77 
			 5GCE81633 5GC Luton 1 1.00 2,191 96.87 102.21 
			 5HXE85687 5HX Ealing PCT 1 1.00 1,606 83.78 88.85 
			 5J5P85024 5J5 Oldham Primary Care Trust 1 1.00 3,548 141.84 178.74 
			 5J5P85622 5J5 Oldham Primary Care Trust 1 1.00 2,544 145.34 186.32 
			 5K5E84696 5K5 Brent PCT 1 1.00 1,978 116.40 135.77 
			 5K7F83044 5K7 Camden Primary Care Trust 2 1.00 4,233 118.23 157.45 
			 5K9H83030 5K9 Croydon Primary Care Trust 2 1.00 3,900 81.36 82.27 
			 5KLA89012 5KL Sunderland Teaching Primary Care Trust 1 1.00 4,901 122.84 97.31 
			 5L1J82663 5L1 Southampton City Primary Care Trust 1 1.00 3,726 100.34 107.64 
			 5LCE87677 5LC Westminster PCT 4 1.00 8,856 73.85 78.62 
			 5LCE87691 5LC Westminster PCT 1 1.00 208 89.59 116.65 
			 5LCE87694 5LC Westminster PCT 1 1.00 294 83.63 101.91 
			 5LEG85705 5LE Southwark PCT 1 1.01 4,317 101.06 112.14 
			 5LEY00454 5LE Southwark PCT 1 1.00 2,525 109.44 129.53 
			 5LFG85711 5LF Lewisham PCT 1 1.00 1,524 105.43 138.85 
			 5LGH85685 5LG Wandsworth PCT 1 1.00 1,864 95.35 106.14 
			 5LQG81694 5LQ Brighton and Hove City Teaching PCT 1 1.00 2,626 103.48 149.61 
			 5M1M85782 5M1 South Birmingham PCT 1 1.01 1,472 100.68 99.40 
			 5M3Y00228 5M3 Walsall Teaching PCT 1 1.00 2,741 121.99 133.46 
			 5MKM82607 5MK Telford and Wrekin Primary Care Trust 2 1.00 2,917 114.37 102.23 
			 5LJB85634 5N2 Kirklees PCT 1 1.00 2,578 109.37 126.36 
			 5EXC81112 5N7 Derby City PCT 2 1.00 2,393 99.28 94.44 
			 5EVC84112 5N8 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 3 1.00 3,147 85.31 69.12 
			 5D5A82038 5NE Cumbria PCT 4 1.00 3,831 82.87 91.59 
			 5DDA82622 5NE Cumbria PCT 2 1.00 518 79.78 48.23 
			 5G7P81620 5NH East Lancs PCT 1 1.00 1,076 82.52 98.27 
			 5E2B82617 5NV North Yorkshire and York PCT 1 1.00 538 71.86 63.06 
			 5KKB82062 5NV North Yorkshire and York PCT 2 1.00 2,318 95.61 88.92 
			 5E6B81032 5NX Hull PCT 2 1.00 2,851 128.60 175.00 
			 5GJE82627 5P3 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 2 1.00 2,921 74.07 76.85 
			 5GVE82655 5P4 West Hertfordshire PCT 1 1.00 1,393 101.92 109.61 
			 5L2G82030 5P9 West Kent PCT 3 1.00 5,816 88.61 93.46 
			 5L2G82234 5P9 West Kent PCT 3 1.00 4,252 84.45 95.38 
			 5JCC82111 5PA Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 3 1.00 13,563 93.51 91.79 
			 5EJC82114 5PC Leicester City PCT 1 1.01 1,843 108.04 116.77 
			 5EYC82659 5PC Leicester City PCT 2 1.00 3,225 126.95 128.46 
			 5HTM87613 5PE Dudley Primary Care Trust 1 1.00 1,024 110.63 111.44 
			 5HTM87628 5PE Dudley Primary Care Trust 1 1.00 1,958 114.97 118.50 
			 5HVM87634 5PE Dudley Primary Care Trust 1 1.00 1,220 124.59 114.34 
			 5HWM83670 5PH North Staffordshire PCT 2 1.00 4,562 105.11 74.95 
			 5DQM83732 5PK South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust 1 1.00 1,144 95.19 96.57 
			 5AGD81629 5PN Peterborough PCT 1 1.00 3,576 99.94 102.45 
			 5JHD81005 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 5 1.00 10,919 67.63 53.71 
			 5JHD81017 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 2 1.00 5,310 86.53 86.89 
			 5JHD81037 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 6 1.00 8,276 76.81 73.43 
			 5JJD81033 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 4 1.00 4,413 68.87 68.63 
			 5GMF81141 5PW North East Essex PCT 5 1.00 10,042 96.44 73.92 
			 5GMF81746 5PW North East Essex PCT 1 1.00 1,945 96.65 93.22 
			 5GMY00484 5PW North East Essex PCT 1 1.00 3,760 118.37 99.87 
			 5GRF81709 5PY South West Essex PCT 1 1.00 722 94.03 91.73 
			 5DTK84613 5QE Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust 5 1.00 9,217 65.10 64.02 
			 5DTK84621 5QE Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust 2 1.00 4,335 66.35 70.82 
			 5FPJ81623 5QM Dorset Primary Care Trust 1 1.00 1,040 81.74 58.43 
			 5FML82017 5QP Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 2 1.00 2,465 65.12 60.02 
			   National average 3.46 1.00 6,380 102.51 106.25 
			 (1) Characteristic data taken from Quality Outcomes Framework with 2006-07 data  Note: These practices listed whose minimum practice income guarantees comprises more than 25 per cent. of total NHS income have been calculated on a combination of; Global Sum, Correction Factor and Quality Outcomes Framework income and includes an estimate of their Enhanced Services income. It does not include income from other audited datastreams eg information management and technology, premises, seniority and locum payments.

General Practitioners: Pharmacy

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many responses his Department received to the Pharmacy White Paper consultation on dispensing GPs.

Phil Hope: The Pharmacy White Paper consultation, Pharmacy in England: Building on strengths - delivering the future, Options for legislative change, was launched on 27 August 2008 and closed on 20 November 2008.
	The consultation included four options in relation to dispensing doctors.
	Option 1: No change to existing criteria.
	Option 2: Retain controlled localities and allow primary care trusts to determine dispensing rights based on local pharmaceutical needs assessments.
	Option 3: Retain controlled localities and replace existing 'patient-to-pharmacy' distance criterion with 'practice-to-pharmacy' distance criterion, allowing dispensing practices to dispense to all patients on their list.
	Option 4: As option 3 but also include a criterion that there is a second pharmacy in close proximity.
	The Department received 62,733 responses relating to the options for dispensing by doctors. Of these, 62,675 were in favour of option 1; 21 were in favour of option 2; nine were in favour of option 3; 14 were in favour of option 3 and 4; and 14 were in favour of option 4. In addition, we received 18 miscellaneous letters and 13 petitions.
	As a result of the responses to the consultation, and the views expressed at listening events, I announced on 16 December 2008 that there would be no change to the arrangements by which general practitioners may dispense to their patients.

Genetics: Data Protection

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the evidence of his Department's chief scientific adviser to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee on 21 January 2009, what assessment has been made of the merits of withholding DNA information held on a care record from  (a) the police and  (b) the security services.

Ben Bradshaw: All confidential personal patient information held by national health service organisations is subject to access rights set out in statute, most particularly the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Access to Health Records Act 1990.
	Disclosure of any information to the police or other agencies is only considered in cases of serious crime or where there are significant risks to other people. The NHS will remain liable to comply with statutory obligations to disclose, but these are always for specific purposes agreed by Parliament, for example to protect public health. Disclosure in these cases is subject to long standing guidelines on the circumstances where the public interest outweighs obligations of confidentiality or to comply with a court order.

Genetics: Data Protection

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the evidence of his Department's chief scientific adviser to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee on 21 January 2009, what assessment has been made of arrangements for the use of DNA information held on care records in  (a) anonymised and  (b) pseudonymised research.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government are developing plans for a health research support service that will provide an appropriate environment for greater use of anonymised and linked anonymised (or pseudonymised) data sets for research. They will also strengthen the arrangements to avoid any breach of confidentiality in types of research requiring the use of information that could identify individuals.
	A programme of work in NHS Connecting for Health (the research capability programme) has been under way since 2007 to facilitate medical research using data derived from patient information, strictly within the bounds of confidentiality. The aim is to realise the research potential of electronic patient records, as described in the Government's health research strategy Best Research for Best Health. Details of the programme are available on line at:
	www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/systemsandservices/research
	and a copy has already been placed in the Library.
	Research using patient information and DNA information is subject to several types of ethical and regulatory review. The health research support service must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. The Human Tissue Authority regulates the use of human tissue for research, including analysis of DNA, under the Human Tissue Act 2004. The National Information Governance Board monitors uses of patient information under the NHS Act 2006.
	The Department's evidence to the Select Committee drew attention to important opportunities for research that will open up if the ethical and regulatory framework can provide for appropriate research access to data sets derived from both patient information and genetic information. No decisions will be taken without proper debate about consent and confidentiality. The plans for a health research support service are being developed with close attention to protecting the confidentiality of sensitive personal information. Improving access to anonymised data sets suitable for research is an important part of these plans.

Genetics: Data Protection

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patient records contain DNA information.

Ben Bradshaw: Clinicians are required by their professional bodies to keep clear, accurate, legible and contemporaneous patient records in recognition that review and audit of care is vital to patient safety and to maintaining and improving the quality of care. Decisions about the necessity and relevance of recording particular information, including data relating to the patient's DNA, is a matter for individual clinicians. The information requested is therefore not available.

Health Services: Advertising

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what rules his Department has established to govern the advertising of allied health professional services following his announcement that patients may self-refer to those services; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether his Department plans to issue guidance to primary care trusts on advertising allied health professional services to patients choosing to self-refer.

Ann Keen: No rules or guidance on advertising are planned or have been made centrally. It is for primary care trusts in partnership with local stakeholders, including practice based commissioners, local government and the public to determine where self-referral is clinically appropriate and value to the system and local community, and to promote this route of access accordingly.

Health Services: Alcohol

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many regional alcohol managers and associated staff there are in each Government Office Region.

Dawn Primarolo: Every regional public health group has a lead officer within the group, at least part time for alcohol.
	Last August the Department gave each of the regions funding to improve their alcohol response by the development of an alcohol office or the appointment of a regional alcohol manager.
	The regions who have appointed staff to their new regional offices are as follows:
	North East;
	North West;
	Yorkshire and the Humber;
	West Midlands;
	East of England (staff come into post in March).
	The remaining regions current arrangements are as follows:
	East Midlands are employing two part time consultants.
	South East has a regional public health group lead official on alcohol who retains this role.
	South West and London have not yet appointed someone into the permanent role.
	In total, there are currently 10 people in post, either full or part-time.

Health Services: Procurement

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the provisions of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 apply to staff contracted under the national retail model for equipment services to provide  (a) complex and  (b) simple aids for daily living.

Ben Bradshaw: The decision to implement the national retail model for equipment services is a matter for local authorities and their health partners.
	Part of the decision-making process will involve a staff impact assessment to determine the impact of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) regulations on staff contracted under the national retail model.
	Local authorities and their health partners will also need to take their own legal advice in relation to TUPE and other employment legislation that relates to their employees or to the terms of outsourced contracts.

Health Services: Republic of Ireland

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent discussions officials in his Department have had with the Irish Government on payments in respect of medical treatment delivered to UK pensioners in the Republic of Ireland; what estimate he has made of the annual sums overpaid to the Irish Government in respect of such treatment to date; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for such overpayments;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to recover overpayments to the Irish Government in respect of medical treatment delivered to UK pensioners in the Republic of Ireland; and what steps he plans to take to prevent future overpayments.

Dawn Primarolo: Departmental officials have been involved in discussions with Irish counterparts around the size of payments the United Kingdom makes to Ireland under a bilateral health agreement, in line with European Union regulations. As a result of new evidence around how much the UK and Ireland should pay each other under this agreement, it has been agreed that the payments the UK makes, will reduce in future years. Due to the nature of the claims process and the fact that bilateral discussions are ongoing, it is not possible to establish whether any previous payments the UK has made to Ireland represent overpayments.

Health Services: Waiting Lists

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many breaches of the 18-week maximum waiting time from GP referral to treatment there have been in each primary care trust since its introduction.

Ben Bradshaw: The 18-week maximum referral to treatment standard comes into effect from 1 January 2009. Every primary care trust and trust must strive to achieve this standard across all services and specialties, and monitor waits so that patients do not wait more than 18 weeks for reasons other than choice or clinical exception.
	Referral to treatment data for January will be published on the pre-announced date of 26 March 2009.

Health Services: Waiting Lists

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will list the exemptions to the 18-week maximum waiting time from GP referral to treatment;
	(2)  whether the 18-week target maximum waiting time between GP referral and treatment applies in respect of second appointments.

Ben Bradshaw: The 18 week commitment covers consultant-led elective services. From 1 January 2009, the minimum expectation of consultant-led elective services will be that no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred to the start of their hospital treatment, unless it is clinically appropriate to do so or they choose to wait longer. It includes all appointments including those for diagnostic tests between referral and first definitive treatment.
	On completion of an 18 week referral to treatment period; a new 18 week clock starts when a clinical decision is made to start a substantively new or different treatment that does not already form part of that patient's agreed care plan.

Health Services: Waiting Lists

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his most recent estimate is of the average number of days waiting time taken for an  (a) in-patient and  (b) out-patient appointment.

Ben Bradshaw: Latest published figures for the end of December 2008 show the median waiting time for an in-patient admission stands at 32.4 days, compared to 92.4 days in March 1997. The median waiting time for a first out-patient appointment stands at 22 days, compared to 36.5 days in April 2004 when out-patient data were first published.

Health Services: Waiting Lists

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how waiting times of more than 18 weeks from referral to treatment are recorded under the NHS's performance sharing regime.

Ben Bradshaw: Guidance on the recording of performance sharing for 18 weeks is set out in a letter to strategic health authority chief executives sent on 21 August 2008. The letter (Gateway reference 10417) has been placed in the Library.

Health Services: Wales

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to finalise a long-term agreement to replace the interim protocol for cross-border treatment in England and Wales.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government expect to agree a protocol with the Welsh Assembly Government as part of the finalisation of NHS business plans for 2009-10.

Health Services: Wales

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to paragraph 57 of the Government Response to the Welsh Affairs Committee's interim Report on the provision of cross-border health services for Wales, what research his Department has (a) undertaken and  (b) plans to undertake into potential disadvantage to cross-border patients in (i) England and (ii) Wales as a result of differences in the two healthcare systems.

Ben Bradshaw: The core principles of the national health service apply across the United Kingdom and an inevitable and healthy consequence of devolution has been some divergence in health policy. Such divergence is entirely appropriate and provides an opportunity for each part of the NHS to innovate and experiment with different models for the provision and organisation of health care services within a common framework of NHS principles, and to learn from each other. NHS services in both England and Wales have seen significant improvement in recent years.

Health Services: Wales

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to paragraph 62 of the Government Response to the Welsh Affairs Committee's interim Report on the provision of cross-border health services for Wales, what plans he has to consult  (a) the public,  (b) patients and  (c) hon. Members on proposals for a long-term agreement on the treatment of cross-border patients.

Ben Bradshaw: If a new cross-border protocol will impact on the range or availability of health services to users, then consultation will take place as appropriate.

Hospitals: Admissions

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1759-60W, on hospitals: admissions, what the five most common reasons for emergency admission to hospital for  (a) children and  (b) adults were in each year since 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: The following tables show the five primary diagnosis descriptions having the highest number of emergency hospital admissions recorded for each year 1997-98 until 2006-07, for adults (17+) and children (0-16).
	
		
			  Count of emergency admission episodes for the top five most common primary diagnoses for adults (17+) and children (0-16): Data for years 1997-98 to 2006-07 
			  2006-07 
			Primary diagnosis description 
			 Adults (17+) 1 Pain in throat and chest 
			  2 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  3 Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
			  4 Pneumoniaorganism unspecified 
			  5 Other disorders of urinary system 
			 Children (0-16) 1 Acute upper respiratory infections of multiple and unspecified sites 
			  2 Viral infection of unspecified site 
			  3 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  4 Asthma 
			  5 Abnormalities of breathing 
		
	
	
		
			  2005-06 
			Primary diagnosis description 
			 Adults (17+) 1 Pain in throat and chest 
			  2 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  3 Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
			  4 Pneumoniaorganism unspecified 
			  5 Other disorders of urinary system 
			 Children (0-16) 1 Acute upper respiratory infections of multiple and unspecified site 
			  2 Viral infection of unspecified site 
			  3 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  4 Acute bronchiolitis 
			  5 Viral and other specified intestinal infections 
		
	
	
		
			  2004-05 
			Primary diagnosis description 
			 Adults (17+) 1 Pain in throat and chest 
			  2 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  3 Unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity 
			  4 Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
			  5 Angina pectoris 
			 Children (0-16) 1 Acute upper respiratory infections of multiple and unspecified sites 
			  2 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  3 Viral infection of unspecified site 
			  4 Asthma 
			  5 Viral and other specified intestinal infections 
		
	
	
		
			  2003-04 
			Primary diagnosis description 
			 Adults (17+) 1 Pain in throat and chest 
			  2 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  3 Unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity 
			  4 Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
			  5 Angina pectoris 
			 Children (0-16) 1 Acute upper respiratory infections multiple and unspecified sites 
			  2 Viral infection of unspecified site 
			  3 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  4 Fracture of forearm 
			  5 Asthma 
		
	
	
		
			  2002-03 
			Primary diagnosis description 
			 Adults (17+) 1 Pain in throat and chest 
			  2 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  3 Angina pectoris 
			  4 Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
			  5 Unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity 
			 Children (0-16) 1 Acute upper respiratory infections multiple and unspecified sites 
			  2 Viral infection of unspecified site 
			  3 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  4 Fracture of forearm 
			  5 Viral and other specified intestinal infections 
		
	
	
		
			  2001-02 
			Primary diagnosis description 
			 Adults (17+) 1 Pain in throat and chest 
			  2 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  3 Unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity 
			  4 Angina pectoris 
			  5 Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
			 Children (0-16) 1 Acute upper respiratory infections multiple and unspecified sites 
			  2 Viral infection of unspecified site 
			  3 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  4 Asthma 
			  5 Fracture of forearm 
		
	
	
		
			  2000-01 
			Primary diagnosis description 
			 Adults (17+) 1 Pain in throat and chest 
			  2 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  3 Unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity 
			  4 Angina pectoris 
			  5 Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
			 Children (0-16) 1 Acute upper respiratory infections multiple and unspecified sites 
			  2 Viral infection of unspecified site 
			  3 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  4 Asthma 
			  5 Acute bronchiolitis 
		
	
	
		
			  1999-2000 
			Primary diagnosis description 
			 Adults (17+) 1 Pain in throat and chest 
			  2 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  3 Angina pectoris 
			  4 Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
			  5 Unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity 
			 Children (0-16) 1 Acute upper respiratory infections multiple and unspecified sites 
			  2 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  3 Viral infection of unspecified site 
			  4 Asthma 
			  5 Fracture of forearm 
		
	
	
		
			  1998-99 
			Primary diagnosis description 
			 Adults (17+) 1 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  2 Pain in throat and chest 
			  3 Angina pectoris 
			  4 Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
			  5 Unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity 
			 Children (0-16) 1 Acute upper respiratory infections multiple and unspecified sites 
			  2 Asthma 
			  3 Viral infection of unspecified site 
			  4 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  5 Fracture of forearm 
		
	
	
		
			  1997-98 
			Primary diagnosis description 
			 Adults (17+) 1 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  2 Pain in throat and chest 
			  3 Angina pectoris 
			  4 Unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity 
			  5 Other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 
			 Children (0-16) 1 Acute upper respiratory infections multiple and unspecified sites 
			  2 Asthma 
			  3 Abdominal and pelvic pain 
			  4 Viral infection of unspecified site 
			  5 Fracture of forearm 
			  Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Hospitals: Malnutrition

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the incidence of malnutrition among  (a) all hospital patients and  (b) hospital patients aged 65 years and over.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table indicates the counts of admissions into hospital where there was a primary or secondary diagnosis of malnutrition for 2006-07 for all patients and those aged over and under 65. This is the only form that the data are available.
	
		
			  Total admissions 2006-07 
			   Number 
			 England 2,581 
			 64 and under 1,380 
			 65 and under 1,200 
			 Unknown 1 
			  Source: Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Independent Reconfiguration Panel

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS hospital re-organisations have been referred to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel since it was established; and how many of those were changed as a result.

Ann Keen: Since the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) was established in 2003, the IRP has competed 14 full reviews at the request of the Secretary of State for Health.
	In general terms, three of the 14 reviews undertaken by the IRP have supported local national health service proposals, four have not supported them and seven supported them in principle, but placed conditions on their implementation.

Independent Reconfiguration Panel

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many requests from overview and scrutiny committees for  (a) proposed and  (b) in progress NHS re-organisations to be referred to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel have been rejected since overview and scrutiny committees were established.

Ann Keen: Regulation 4 of the Local Authority (Overview and Scrutiny Committees Health Scrutiny Functions) Regulations 2002 allows overview and scrutiny committees the power to refer contested local national health service reconfigurations to the Secretary of State for Health.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health considers all referrals from overview and scrutiny committees.

Injuries: Firearms

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were  (a) treated in accident and emergency departments and  (b) admitted to hospital for (i) gunshot and (ii) knife wounds in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: Information on numbers treated in accident and emergency is not available as the information requested is not collected centrally. Information is available on patients who have been admitted to hospital for gunshot wounds and knife woundsfinished admission episodes.
	The data for X99assault by sharp objecthas been included as it is the closest data code for intentional knife wounds. In order to enable comparison data for W26contact with a knife, sword or dagger, has also been provided.
	Reference should be made to all attached notes when reading this response.
	
		
			  Count of finished admission episodes with a gunshot wound or knife related injury by strategic health authority for period 2002-03 to 2006-07national health service hospitals England and activity performed in the independent sector in England commissioned by English NHS 
			   2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03 
			 Gunshot wounds* 1,315 1,233 1,163 1,370 1,287 
			 Contact with knife sword or dagger** 5,284 5,321 4,939 4,921 4,805 
			 Assault by sharp object** 5,720 5,496 5,072 4,774 4,275 
			  Notes: 1. Finished admission episodesA finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. Cause CodeGunshot* wounds and Knife** related injuries. The cause code is a supplementary code that indicates the nature of any external cause of injury, poisoning or other adverse effects. 3. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) has used the following ICD-10 external cause codes when referring to gunshot wounds and knife related injuries.  Gunshot wounds*: W32Handgun discharge W33Rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge W34Discharge from other and unspecified firearms X72Intentional self-harm by handgun discharge X73Intentional self-harm by rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge X74Intentional self-harm by other and unspecified firearm discharge X93Assault by handgun discharge X94Assault by rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge X95Assault by other and unspecified firearm discharge Y22Handgun discharge, undetermined intent Y23Rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge, undetermined intent Y24Other and unspecified firearm discharge, undetermined intent Y35.0Legal intervention involving firearm discharge Y36.4War operations involving firearm discharge and other forms of conventional warfare  Knife related injuries**: W26Contact with knife, sword or dagger Z99Assault by sharp object  Data Quality: HES are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts, and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data are also received from a number of Independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Ungrossed Data: Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Injuries: Firearms

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 1372-78W, on injuries: firearms, how many cases of incidents classified under the  (a) X93,  (b) X94 and  (c) X95 code there were in each hospital in each year.

Ben Bradshaw: Information is not available on the injuries at individual hospital level. The Hospital Episode Statistics collection does provide information by strategic health authority (SHA) of residence.
	The following tables provide data for each of the requested codes for ten years. It should be noted that this list does not constitute the full set of codes used to identify gunshot wounds.
	The structure of SHAs changed for data year 2006-07, with 28 SHAs merging to make just ten. The number of admissions does not represent the number of patients as a patient may have been admitted more than once.
	
		
			  Total number of admissions to hospital where the patient had a cause code of X93( 1)  broken down by strategic health authority of residence for the last 10 yearsActivity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003 - 04  2002 - 03  2001-02  2000-01  1999-2000  1998-99  1997-98 
			  Resident in England total 44 42 34 48 46 40 31 27 20 21 
			 Q01 Norfolk. Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic HA  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic HA  1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 2 
			 Q03 Essex Strategic HA  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Q04 North West London Strategic HA  7 5 8 5 5 6 2 1 1 
			 Q05 North Central London Strategic HA  0 0 2 1 1 1 0 2 0 
			 Q06 North East London Strategic HA  1 2 1 7 3 3 1 1 0 
			 Q07 South East London Strategic HA  3 2 4 2 3 3 2 0 0 
			 Q08 South West London Strategic HA  2 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 0 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic HA  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic HA  2 0 0 3 0 1 1 0 0 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic HA  1 2 2 0 0 0 3 2 1 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire Strategic HA  7 6 16 16 11 3 7 4 2 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic HA  1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester Strategic HA  4 4 3 1 2 1 6 2 4 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic HA  1 2 5 2 2 2 0 3 2 
			 Q16 Thames Valley Strategic HA  0 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic HA  0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway Strategic HA  1 2 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex Strategic HA  0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 
			 Q20 Avon. Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic HA  1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula Strategic HA  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset Strategic HA  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire Strategic HA  0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 
			 Q24 Trent Strategic HA  2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Strategic HA  2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic HA  1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country Strategic HA  2 2 1 0 6 1 2 0 1 
			 Q28 West Midlands South Strategic HA  1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Q30 North East SHA 0  
			 Q31 North West SHA 11  
			 Q32 Yorkshire and The Humber SHA 10  
			 Q33 East Midlands SHA 2  
			 Q34 West Midlands SHA 7  
			 Q35 East of England SHA 0  
			 Q36 London SHA 12  
			 Q37 South East Coast SHA 2  
			 Q38 South Central SHA 0  
			 Q39 South West SHA 0  
			 U EnglandNot otherwise specified 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 
			  Other unknown/foreign SHAs 2 2 3 1 1 2 0 1 0 2 
		
	
	
		
			  Total number of admissions to hospital where the patient had a cause code of X94( 1)  broken down by strategic health authority of residence for the last 10 yearsActivity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03  2001-02  2000-01  1999-2000  1998/99  1997/98 
			  Resident in England total 52 51 51 49 54 61 48 61 42 49 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic HA  0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic HA  2 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 
			 Q03 Essex Strategic HA  0 1 1 2 0 1 6 2 0 
			 Q04 North West London Strategic HA  1 5 4 6 3 3 2 1 3 
			 Q05 North Central London Strategic HA  3 2 1 0 4 0 1 1 2 
			 Q06 North East London Strategic HA  4 3 3 3 0 4 3 2 2 
			 Q07 South East London Strategic HA  3 1 3 5 0 5 0 2 1 
			 Q08 South West London Strategic HA  1 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Q09 Northumberland. Tyne and Wear Strategic HA  1 0 1 4 1 2 3 3 2 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic HA  2 0 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic HA  4 2 2 1 4 1 1 5 1 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire Strategic HA  7 7 11 12 13 12 11 6 7 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic HA  0 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 1 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester Strategic HA  4 2 2 7 7 3 2 4 4 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic HA  4 7 4 1 4 3 2 0 1 
			 Q16 Thames Valley Strategic HA  1 1 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic HA  0 0 3 0 0 2 1 1 0 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway Strategic HA  1 3 0 0 2 0 1 1 3 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex Strategic HA  0 1 1 0 4 2 1 4 2 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic HA  0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 2 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula Strategic HA  0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset Strategic HA  3 0 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire Strategic HA  1 4 1 1 1 0 6 2 1 
			 Q24 Trent Strategic HA  1 3 2 0 3 2 2 0 4 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Strategic HA  2 0 1 1 0 1 2 2 5 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic HA  0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country Strategic HA  4 3 3 0 5 2 7 1 4 
			 Q28 West Midlands South Strategic HA  1 3 0 0 2 1 2 1 0 
			 Q30 North East SHA 3  
			 Q31 North West SHA 14  
			 Q32 Yorkshire and The Humber SHA 8  
			 Q33 East Midlands SHA 4  
			 Q34 West Midlands SHA 8  
			 Q35 East of England SHA 3  
			 Q36 London SHA 9  
			 Q37 South East Coast SHA 2  
			 Q38 South Central SHA 0  
			 Q39 South West SHA 1  
			 U EnglandNot otherwise specified 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Other/unknown/foreign SHAs 2 0 0 1 2 3 1 1 1 2 
		
	
	
		
			  Total number of admissions to hospital where the patient had a cause code of X95( 1)  broken down by strategic health authority of residence for the last 10 yearsActivity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03  2001-02  2000-01  1999-2000  1998-99  1997-98 
			  Resident in England Total 125 127 122 134 119 119 75 82 51 66 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic HA  0 2 1 0 2 2 1 1 0 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic HA  2 0 4 2 1 1 2 0 1 
			 Q03 Essex Strategic HA  0 0 1 2 0 3 1 3 1 
			 Q04 North West London Strategic HA  14 6 7 5 6 5 7 1 6 
			 Q05 North Central London Strategic HA  3 3 3 0 3 3 1 1 4 
			 Q06 North East London Strategic HA  6 3 6 7 8 2 4 4 0 
			 Q07 South East London Strategic HA  24 15 14 15 10 10 3 6 2 
			 Q08 South West London Strategic HA  4 3 5 3 0 0 5 2 4 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic HA  1 6 2 1 5 5 6 3 3 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic HA  0 0 3 3 3 1 4 4 3 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic HA  1 0 3 3 1 2 1 0 0 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire Strategic HA  4 5 10 8 19 5 3 3 3 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic HA  3 2 3 1 1 1 1 2 3 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester Strategic HA  13 11 13 8 11 9 11 3 9 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic HA  12 18 16 9 14 5 7 3 7 
			 Q16 Thames Valley Strategic HA  2 3 3 2 2 3 2 2 0 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic HA  0 0 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway Strategic HA  3 2 7 3 5 0 0 0 1 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex Strategic HA  5 3 1 1 0 2 7 0 1 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic HA  8 8 1 7 1 3 1 2 2 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula Strategic HA  2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset Strategic HA  0 0 0 1 1 1 0 2 0 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire Strategic HA  6 4 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 
			 Q24 Trent Strategic HA  2 3 7 8 4 2 1 1 2 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Strategic HA  1 2 0 3 1 1 0 1 0 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic HA  1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country Strategic HA  8 15 11 24 17 6 8 4 11 
			 Q28 West Midlands South Strategic HA  0 8 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 
			 Q30 North East SHA 6  
			 Q31 North West SHA 29  
			 Q32 Yorkshire and The Humber SHA 13  
			 Q33 East Midlands SHA 4  
			 Q34 West Midlands SHA 18  
			 Q35 East of England SHA 8  
			 Q36 London SHA 31  
			 Q37 South East Coast SHA 9  
			 Q38 South Central SHA 2  
			 Q39 South West SHA 5  
			 U EnglandNot otherwise specified 0 2 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 
			  Other/unknown/foreign SHAs 4 3 3 1 3 9 2 4 2 1 
		
	
	
		
			   Report title  X93  X94  X95 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA   2 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA 1  1 
			 Q03 Essex HA  1 3 
			 Q04 North West London HA 6 3 5 
			 Q05 North Central London HA 1  3 
			 Q06 North East London HA 3 4 2 
			 Q07 South East London HA 3 5 10 
			 Q08 South West London HA 3 0  
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA  2 5 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley HA 1 3 1 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire HA  1 2 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire HA 3 12 5 
			 Q13 Cumbria And Lancashire HA   1 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester HA 1 3 9 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside HA 2 3 5 
			 Q16 Thames Valley HA 2 1 3 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle Of Wight HA 1 2 1 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex HA 2 2 2 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA   3 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset HA   1 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire HA   1 
			 Q24 Trent HA  2 2 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA  1 1 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire HA   1 
			 Q27 Birmingham and The Black Country HA 1 2 6 
			 Q28 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire HA 1 1  
			 Y Not known  1 2 
			  Other/unknown/foreign SHAs 2 3 9 
			  Notes:   Ungrossed data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (ie the data are ungrossed).  Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  Cause Code(1)( )The cause code is a supplementary code that indicates the nature of any external cause of injury, poisoning or other adverse effects. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) has used the following ICD-10 external cause codes as requested for this parliamentary question. It should be noted that this is not the full list of codes used to identify gunshot wounds and so the data should not be used to illustrate this. X93Assault by handgun discharge X94Assault by rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge X95Assault by other and unspecified firearm discharge.  Data quality HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data is also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  PCT/SHA data quality PCT and SHA data was added to historic data years in the HES database using 2002-03 boundaries, as a one-off exercise in 2004. The quality of the data on PCT of treatment and SHA of treatment is poor in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99, with over a third of all finished episodes having missing values in these years. Data quality of PCT of general practitioner (GP) practice and SHA of GP practice in 1997-98 and 1998-99 is also poor, with a high proportion missing values where practices changed or ceased to exist. There is less change in completeness of the residence-based fields over time, where the majority of unknown values are due to missing postcodes on birth episodes. Users of time series analysis including these years need to be aware of these issues in their interpretation of the data.  Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.   Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Intensive Care: Isle of Wight

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions an excess of demand for intensive care unit beds on the Isle of Wight has resulted in patients being taken off the island for treatment in each week in the last 12 months.

Phil Hope: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Intermediate Care

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to revise his Department's 2001 guidance on intermediate care.

Phil Hope: The Department is currently exploring the possibility of publishing revised guidance on intermediate care as part of the work on a wider prevention package for older people to be published in spring 2009.

LinkAge Plus

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the LinkAge Plus Programme; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: I've been asked to reply.
	The LinkAge Plus pilots have been testing the principles of joined-up working. Going beyond the traditional benefits and care agendas, they also provide access to a wide range of services encompassing housing, transport and volunteering opportunities to form aspects of a seamless service for older people.
	Each pilot focuses on local needs, and how best to integrate services within those locations, being driven by the needs and aspirations of older people themselves, while also developing existing links between central Government, local authorities and other organisations The pilots finished in September 2008. They are currently being evaluated and a final summary report is scheduled for publication by March 2009.
	Early findings from the pilots suggest that LinkAge Plus is successful in enabling older people to access multiple services through a single contact and reaches those who are socially excluded.
	In Gloucestershire, for example, they have set up a network of Village Agents who work directly with isolated older people in rural areas. Their presence within the community enables older people to get access to information and advice about the entitlements and services available to themdirect from a friendly, local contact.
	We are also starting to disseminate the learning and core principles for LinkAge Plus across local authorities. To help do so, toolkit has been developed jointly with the Department of Health Partnership for Older People Projects. This seeks to help local authorities to put in place similar services.

Local Public Health Laboratories

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the funding of accredited laboratory testing services by the Food Standards Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Food Standards Agency has not made any representations on the funding of accredited laboratory testing services.

Maternity Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) name and  (b) postcode location of each maternity unit in England listed on the NHS Choices website is.

Ann Keen: The NHS Choices service, launched in June 2007, is the Department's and national health services primary online service to the public for health related information and advice. All data records published via NHS Choices, including 254 NHS Maternity Units with their contact and location details, are freely available to the public via the NHS Choices website at:
	www.nhs.uk.
	The name and postcode location of each maternity unit in England listed on NHS Choices has been placed in the Library.

Maternity Services: Finance

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  on which date the 330 million announced in January 2008 for maternity services was given to primary care trusts;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect on maternity services of the 330 million of extra funding announced in January 2008.

Ann Keen: The 330 million announced for Maternity Matters covers three years, 2008-09 to 2010-11. This additional funding is included within the 2008-09 to 2010-11 primary care trust (PCT) revenue allocations. PCTs were informed of their revenue allocations for 2008-09 in December 2007. The 2009-10 and 2010-11 revenue allocations were announced on 8 December 2008. Revenue allocations for the year are made available to PCTs at the start of the financial year. We are in the first year of this additional funding and it is too early to assess the actual impact. However, through the national tariff money automatically flows to trusts when they do more maternity activity. In addition, the price itself for maternity services for 2008-09 has been uplifted by 10 per cent. compared to 2007-08, so even if there were no increase in activity, trusts would be getting 10 per cent. more. This equates to well over 100 million over the current year and means that we know PCTs are passing on to trusts much more that the first year share of the 330 million.

Mental Health Services: Elderly

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much he plans to provide for  (a) commissioning of specialist in-reach services from older people's community mental health teams to work in care homes and  (b) specification and commissioning of other in-reach services.

Phil Hope: The Department provides funding for primary care trusts (PCTs) to commission or provide healthcare for their local populations from national health service or independent sector providers. PCTs are responsible for ensuring that adequate healthcare provision exists in their localities, including healthcare provision for the community mental health teams to work in care homes and on the specification and commissioning of other in-reach services.
	It is for each PCT to decide how much to spend on the provision or commissioning of any specific treatment or service. In reaching their decisions, PCTs will need to take into account the overall funding of 150 million already announced to support implementation of the National Dementia Strategy in 2009-10 and 2010-11 and of the NHS operating framework.

Mental Health Services: Elderly

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much he has allocated for the  (a) gathering and  (b) analysis of data on the (i) nature and (ii) effect of specialist older people's mental health liaison teams' work in general hospitals.

Phil Hope: The Department has allocated 700,000 for this work to take place during 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Mesothelioma: Research

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on research into mesothelioma in each of the last five years; and how much it plans to spend on such research in each of the next three years.

Dawn Primarolo: Over the last 10 years, the main part of the Department's research and development budget has been allocated to and managed by national health service organisations. Those organisations have accounted for their use of the allocations they have received from the Department in an annual research and development report. The reports identify total, aggregated expenditure on national priority areas, including cancer. They do not provide details of research into particular cancer sites.
	The National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI), a UK-wide partnership between Government, charities and industry, makes cancer research information available online via the international cancer research portfolio database at:
	www.cancerportfolio.org
	Details of current departmental and Medical Research Council (MRC) site-specific cancer research can be found through this database.
	The MRC is one of the main agencies through which the Government support biomedical research. The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
	MRC expenditure over the last 10 years on lung cancer research, including research relating to mesothelioma, has been as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 1998-99 0.3 
			 1999-2000 0.2 
			 2000-01 0.6 
			 2001-02 1.6 
			 2002-03 1.8 
			 2003-04 2.1 
			 2004-05 1.5 
			 2005-06 1.6 
			 2006-07 2.1 
			 2007-08 2 
		
	
	These figures include funding to the MRC Clinical Trials Unit for the clinical trials in lung cancer programme which included support for the MS01 trial (active symptom control with or without chemotherapy for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma).
	The usual practice of the Department's National Institute for Health Research and of the MRC is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. Future levels of expenditure on lung cancer research will be determined by the success of relevant bids for funding.

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on MRSA prevention research in the last 12 months.

Ann Keen: The Department's policy research programme invested some 1.04 million on health care acquired infection research in 2007-08. A large part of this expenditure was on projects concerned specifically with methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government supports biomedical research. The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
	The MRC spent 3.6 million on research into hospital-acquired infections, including MRSA, in 2007-08.

MMR Vaccine

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to increase measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rates amongst children under 16 years of age.

Dawn Primarolo: In August 2008, the Department announced the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine catch-up programme aimed at any child up to the age of 18 who has never been vaccinated with the MMR vaccine and any child who has had only one of the two MMR vaccine doses.
	To support the campaign the Department has provided extra funding to primary care trusts (PCTs) with PCTs outside London having their funding limits increased by 30,000 and London PCTs' funding limits increased by 60,000. The Department has also sourced additional supplies of vaccine, provided technical support to general practitioners to help them identify children who have not received the MMR vaccine and provided additional online reports to PCTs to help them monitor the effectiveness their catch-up programmes.
	The Department held meetings with both strategic health authorities and PCT immunisation co-ordinators, Regional Directors of Public Health and Directors of Performance to emphasise the importance of reducing measles cases through improving vaccination uptake.
	A public relations campaign is planned to be implemented and rolled out shortly. Key messages will include how serious and infectious measles is and how it's never too late to have the MMR vaccine. A measles leaflet has already been placed in the Library and is available at:
	www.immunisation.nhs.uk

NHS Direct

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his Answer of 3 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1109W, on NHS Direct, what the average cost to his Department of a NHS Direct call is; and what proportion of this cost relates to  (a) staffing and  (b) infrastructure.

Ben Bradshaw: The average cost of a call to NHS Direct's 0845 46 47 line was 25.53 for 2007-08. Of this cost, staffing accounts for 63 per cent. (15.96) and other costs account for 37 per cent. (9.37).
	The breakdown of these other costs is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Service  Proportion (percentage)  Value () 
			 Premises 20 1.87 
			 IT 37 3.47 
			 Telecommunications 14 1.31 
			 Establishment expenses 9 0.84 
			 Consultancy services 7 0.66 
			 Other 13 1.22 
			 Total 100 9.37 
			  Note: These figures do not account for other calls to services provided to national and local commissioners, e.g. calls to The Appointments Line (formerly the Choose and Book Appointments Line) and locally commissioned services.  Source: NHS Direct

NHS Treatment Centres: Private Sector

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department have issued guidance to primary care trusts on the procedures to be followed in the establishment of an independent sector treatment centre.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department led centrally on the national independent sector treatment centre (ISTC) programme. The procurement process was designed to allow the independent sector to work in partnership with local healthcare economies to provide solutions to meet local requirements and work effectively alongside national health service provided services.
	The Department published the following guidance:
	Growing Capacity: A new role for external providers in England (25 June 2002);
	Growing Capacity Independent Sector Diagnosis and Treatment Centres (23 December 2002);
	Access Capacity Planning Guidance for the period 2006-07 to 2007-08 (1 May 2004); and
	ISTC Manual (9 February 2006).
	Copies of the guidance have been placed in the Library.
	The Department has stated that it has no plans to run a third wave of ISTC procurement and will instead move towards greater local determination.

NHS Treatment Centres: Private Sector

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether people may be recruited to work in independent sector treatment centres if they have been employed in the NHS during the previous six months; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: All independent sector treatment centre (ISTC) providers can employ any clinician regardless of their previous national health service engagement with the exception of a six-month restriction on those occupations listed on the Shortage Professions List.
	However, ISTC providers can employ NHS clinicians (including those on the Shortage Professions List) during their non-contracted hours, provided they obtain the agreement of the NHS employer body.

NHS: Data Protection

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which private sector companies have access to  (a) NHS databases and  (b) patient information.

Ben Bradshaw: Access to national health service patient information is permitted, with patient consent, to approved private sector organisations involved in providing services to NHS patients. Companies which provide technical support and maintenance for NHS databases may be given controlled access to databases and information for essential work. In both cases, companies will operate under contractual terms that require NHS information governance standards covering confidentiality, security and record retention to be complied with in full.

NHS: Drugs

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of prescription items dispensed in the community have been dispensed by  (a) community pharmacists,  (b) dispensing GPs and  (c) others in each year since 1997.

Phil Hope: The available information for the percentages of prescription items dispensed by dispenser type is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage of prescription items prescribed in the community in England and dispensed in the UK, by dispenser type, based on a 1 in 20 sample of all prescriptions dispensed 2001 to 2007 
			   Community pharmacists and appliance contractors  Dispensing doctors  Personally administered items 
			 2001 90.8 7.0 2.2 
			 2002 90.9 7.1 2.0 
			 2003 90.8 7.2 2.0 
			 2004 90.7 7.3 2.0 
			 2005 90.5 7.4 2.1 
			 2006 90.8 7.4 1.8 
			 2007 90.8 7.5 1.7 
			  Notes: 1. Figures for community pharmacist dispensing are not available separately. 2. Figures for dispensing GPs are available only from 2001.  Source:  Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA)

NHS: Drugs

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many medicines use reviews have been conducted by pharmacies in each year since 2005-06; what estimate he has made of the average cost of conducting a medicines use review; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The number of medicines use reviews (MURs) provided by accredited pharmacists are published in table 8 (table 10 in 1996-97 to 2005-06) of the annual bulletins General Pharmaceutical Services in England and Wales published by the Information Centre for health and social care.
	Copies of the bulletins for 1996-97 to 2005-06, 1997-98 to 2006-07 and 1998-99 to 2007-08 have been placed in the Library.
	Under the community pharmacy contractual framework, a fee per MUR is payable to contractors providing the service up to a maximum of 400 MURs per pharmacy in any financial year (except for pharmacies which have not made arrangements before 1 October, in which case payment will be made to a maximum of 200 MURs per pharmacy in the first year). The fee payable per MUR since the introduction of the service is as follows:
	
		
			   Fee payable per MUR () 
			 From April 2005 25 
			 From October 2007 27 
			 From October 2008 28

NHS: Energy

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans to reduce energy consumption in the NHS are in place;
	(2)  what target he has set for the reduction of energy consumption in the NHS.

Phil Hope: Under the requirements of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Climate Change Programme, the Department set mandatory energy/carbon efficiency targets on the national health service in England to:
	reduce the level of primary energy consumption by 15 per cent. or 0.15 million tonnes carbon from March 2000 to March 2010;
	achieve a target of 35-55 GigaJoules/100 cubic metres (cu.m) energy efficiency performance for the health care estate for all new capital developments and major redevelopments or refurbishments; and
	achieve a target of 55-65 Gj/100 cubic metres (cu.m) for all existing facilities.
	The Department monitors progress towards achievement using the Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) system and monitors progress towards the mandatory targets. Although significant progress was being made against the targets there remained scope for the NHS to maintain progress. To assist an Energy and Sustainability Capital Fund has been provided and is anticipated to generate significant carbon and revenue savings.
	In January 2009, the newly formed NHS Sustainable Development Unit published their NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy, which supports the Government's Climate Change Act 2008 target of 80 per cent. greenhouse gas reduction by 2050 with 26 per cent. carbon dioxide reduction by 2020. It goes further by challenging the NHS to aim for an interim reduction of 10 per cent. from 2007 to 2015.

NHS: Energy

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total amount of energy used by  (a) his Department and  (b) the NHS in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: The following table shows the total energy consumption for the Department in each of the last five years.
	
		
			   Total energy consumption (MWh) 
			 2003-04 19,121 
			 2004-05 19,824 
			 2005-06 18,090 
			 2006-07 16,176 
			 2007-08 16,241 
		
	
	The following table shows the total energy consumption reported by the national health service in each of the last five years. The data relating to total energy consumption and occupied floor area have been extracted from the Department's Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) system.
	
		
			   Total energy consumption (MWh)  Occupied floor area (m( 2) )  Average Energy Consumption (KWh/m( 2) ) 
			 2003-04 12,765,382 25,813,941 494 
			 2004-05 12,441,322 25,428,351 489 
			 2005-06 12,566,507 25,529,693 492 
			 2006-07 12,446,516 25,486,209 488 
			 2007-08 12,702,494 26,331,121 482 
		
	
	The occupied floor area has increased by 517,180 m(2) over this time period while total energy consumption has decreased by 62,888 MWh indicating an improvement in how energy is utilised within the NHS.

NHS: Equality

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons he has established a working party to examine the implications of age discrimination legislation for the NHS; what the  (a) remit,  (b) membership and  (c) timetable of the group is; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement issued on 11 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 46-48WS.

Radiology Reports

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of radiology investigation reports which include consultants advice that are returned to patients' GPs within  (a) two,  (b) three,  (c) four,  (d) six,  (e) 10 and  (f) 12 weeks of the test in (i) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency, (ii) Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust area and (iii) England.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not collect these data.
	From 1 January 2009 no one should wait more than 18 weeks from the time they are referred to the start of their hospital treatment, unless this is clinically appropriate or they choose to wait longer. This commitment includes all appointments and diagnostic tests between referral and start of consultant led treatment.

NHS: Parking

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many parking spaces were available in each NHS trust in 2007-08; what average fee was charged per hour for patient or visitor parking; how many disabled parking spaces were available; how many parking spaces were available for patients or visitors; what average hourly fee was charged for staff parking; how many parking spaces were available for staff; and what income was received from  (a) staff and  (b) patient parking.

Ben Bradshaw: The information available has been placed in the Library.
	The information has been supplied by the national health service and had not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation.
	The provision of hospital car parking and any associated charges are decided locally by individual NHS trusts to help cover the cost of running, maintaining and securing a car park. All trusts should have exemption and concessionary schemes in place to ensure that patients and carers who visit hospital regularly are not disadvantaged. They should also have sustainable public transport plans in place for staff and visitors.

NHS: Parking

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many parking spaces for  (a) staff and  (b) patients were available in the NHS in England in each financial year since 1997-98; and how much was received from (i) staff and (ii) patients in parking charges in each such year.

Ben Bradshaw: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Since 2001-02, the Department has collected annual data from national health service trusts on car parking provision and any associated charges, through the Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC). The available data for each year since 2001-02 have been placed in the Library.
	The information provided has been supplied by the NHS and had not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation.
	The provision of hospital car parking and any associated charges are decided locally by individual trusts to help cover the cost of running, maintaining and securing a car park. All NHS trusts should have exemption and concessionary schemes in place to ensure that patients and carers who visit hospital regularly are not disadvantaged. They should also have sustainable public transport plans in place for staff and visitors.

NHS: Private Finance Initiative

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which private contractors have withdrawn from NHS private finance initiative contracts in the last 12 months; what the contract was in each case; and what the monetary value of the contract was in each case;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the economic downturn on hospital private finance initiative projects;
	(3)  what hospital building projects are planned to be completed in each of the next 10 financial years;
	(4)  which hospital private finance initiative projects are waiting for approval from HM Treasury; and on what date each was first submitted to the Treasury for approval;
	(5)  what data his Department collects to monitor progress on hospital building projects;
	(6)  what new hospitals have been built since 1997; when each was opened; how each was funded; and what the current capital asset value of each is;
	(7)  how many of the 100 new hospitals referred to in the NHS Plan have opened; on what date each opened; and how much capital expenditure there was on each;
	(8)  how many of the 100 new hospitals referred to in the NHS Plan have not yet opened; when each is expected to be opened; and how much capital expenditure there will be on each.

Ben Bradshaw: Information on the hospital schemes which have opened or begun construction (with their expected opening date) since 1997, with the capital construction cost of each, has been placed in the Library.
	The private finance initiative (PFI) schemes in the list are currently accounted for as off balance sheet and are not therefore accounted as an asset by trusts. The national health service is in the process of determining the value these assets which will be disclosed in their 2009-10 accounts under the new international financial reporting standards (IFRS) which apply to public sector accounts with effect from 2009-10. In respect of the public capital funded schemes, the total asset value of land and buildings for each trust is held centrally, but these are aggregate values which do not separately identify individual capital investment projects.
	The 2000 NHS Plan set a target of opening 100 new hospital schemes by 2010. At the time of the NHS Plan, 69 schemes had already been given the go aheadall but three of these schemes have opened (these three are currently under construction). The NHS Plan identified another 18 schemes to go ahead in the next two years under the PFI, bringing the total at the time to 87 schemes; the target of 100 was set in anticipation of more schemes being given the go ahead in future years. For example in addition to the 18 future PFI schemes identified in the NHS Plan, another 11 PFI schemes were given the go ahead shortly afterwards. Since then a number of other PFI and public capital funded projects have also proceeded and opened, which means that the NHS Plan target of opening 100 new hospital schemes was achieved in October 2008.
	The information placed in the Library identifies both PFI and public capital schemes currently under construction and which are due to be completed (open) in the next 10 years. Schemes developing PFI proposals and actively preparing an initial outline business case (OBC) or currently in procurement, are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Commissioning body  OBC approved/OBC to be submitted for approval  Estimated total capital value  ( million) 
			 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 2009 143 
			 North Bristol/South Gloucestershire PCTs (1) 475 
			 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 2009 61 
			 Sandwell and West Birmingham Acute NHS Trust 2009 368 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 2010 280 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 2010 110 
			 Papworth Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 2009 160 
			 Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital NHS Trust 2009 235 
			 Mersey Care NHS trust 2009 170 
			 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust 2009 477 
			 (1) OBC approved May 2007 Financial close expected before the end of 2009 
		
	
	Proceeding to financial close and construction for these schemes is dependent on business cases being submitted and approved. It is too early to provide financial close and opening milestone dates for these schemes apart from the most advanced, North Bristol/South Gloucestershire primary care trusts (PCTs), where an expected financial close date is given.
	The Government's policy continues to be that PFI and other public private partnerships should be used to deliver public services when this offers value for money. This is assessed on a case by case basis at the appropriate approval point for each scheme. The North Bristol/South Gloucestershire PCTs is the only health sector PFI scheme in the market at the moment and the two consortiums competing to be appointed preferred bidder have held discussions about current economic conditions and have factored this into their bids as part of the competitive process. No bidding consortium (which includes the prime contractor) has withdrawn from competition on an NHS PFI scheme in the last 12 months.
	None of these schemes is awaiting approval from Treasury. The business case for the appointment of the preferred bidder at North Bristol/South Gloucestershire PCTs is expected to be submitted to the Department in April or May this year; it will need subsequent approval by Treasury.
	There are a further four public capital hospital building schemes timetabled to begin construction in the next financial year (2009-10), subject to approval of their full business cases. No information is held centrally on the expected pipeline of public capital funded schemes for 2010-11 or later years.
	The Department monitors the progress of all hospital building schemes (i.e. both PFI and public capital) in terms of the major project milestone dates (business case approval dates, financial close and opening) and collects and collates the appropriate information as it becomes available.

Nurses: Training

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the number of student nurses working 10 or more hours a week in addition to their placements and lectures; and what assessment he has made of the impact of external paid work on the performance of students of nursing and allied health professions in their studies.

Ann Keen: The Department is currently undertaking a review of NHS student support as part of Lord Darzi's NHS Next Stage Review. The information requested is not held centrally.

Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will reconstitute the Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board as one of the Department's standing advisory bodies, with a remit covering all age groups and all care settings; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has to evaluate the implementation of the nutrition action plan.

Phil Hope: I expect to receive the report of the Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board by the end of spring 2009. Decisions on these issues will be made in light of that report.

Nutrition: Screening

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will include the conduct of nutritional screening in the next version of the Quality and Outcomes Framework; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to oversee a new independent and transparent process for developing and reviewing Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) clinical and health improvement indicators for England from 1 April 2009 as part of their role in providing guidance for the NHS based on evidence of clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness. We launched a public consultation on the proposed new process on 30 October 2008. The consultation ended on 2 February. Subject to the outcome of that consultation, any proposal for further changes to QOF indicators would need to be considered under that new process. The Department has no current plans to ask NICE to consider the conduct of nutritional screening by general practice within the QOF.

Nutrition: Screening

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department last issued guidance to health and social care organisations on the details of weight and height measuring equipment used for nutritional screening.

Dawn Primarolo: On 4 August 2008, the Department of Health and Department for Children, Schools and Families published The National Child Measurement Programme Guidance for PCTs: 2008/09 school year. This guidance included information on measuring the height and weight of children in reception (aged four to five years) and year 6 (aged 10 to 11 years). Guidance was also issued in July 2008 on Weighing Scales for the National Child Measurement Programme.
	Both documents are available at:
	http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Healthimprovement/Healthyliving/DH_073787
	Copies have been placed in the Library.
	The National Child Measurement Programme is one element of the Government's work programme on childhood obesity. The data collected are used to inform local planning and delivery of services for children; and gather population-level surveillance data to allow analysis of trends in growth patterns and obesity.

Patient Choice Schemes

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1938W, on patient choice schemes, how many people were referred to first outpatient appointments in each primary care trust area in January 2009; and what the equivalent figures were for January 2008.

Ben Bradshaw: The figures for the number of patients referred to a first consultant-led outpatient appointment following a referral by their general practitioner (GP) in each primary care trust (PCT) from January 2009 have not been published yet. The pre-announced date for publication is 27 February 2009. However, the following table shows figures for January 2008 and December 2007 and December 2008.
	
		
			  Organisation n ame  December 2007  January 2008  December 2008 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 4,438 5,864 4,933 
			 Barking and Dagenham PCT 2,338 3,060 2,693 
			 Barnet PCT 6,288 6,568 6,745 
			 Barnsley PCT 3,159 4,502 4,175 
			 Bassetlaw PCT 1,610 2,334 1,854 
			 Bath and North East Somerset PCT 1,785 2,863 2,657 
			 Bedfordshire PCT 5,000 6,540 6,658 
			 Berkshire East PCT 3,343 4,642 4,752 
			 Berkshire West PCT 4,055 5,343 5,620 
			 Bexley Care Trust 1,855 2,364 2,399 
			 Birmingham East and North PCT 3,665 5,266 5,542 
			 Blackburn with Darwen PCT 2,083 2,661 2,613 
			 Blackpool PCT 1,687 2,266 2,228 
			 Bolton PCT 3,785 5,260 4,918 
			 Bournemouth and Poole Teaching PCT 4,295 6,205 5,073 
			 Bradford and Airedale Teaching PCT 4,465 5,817 6,349 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 3,789 5,047 5,006 
			 Brighton and Hove City PCT 3,494 5,469 4,878 
			 Bristol PCT 4,346 5,965 5,986 
			 Bromley PCT 4,654 6,295 5,254 
			 Buckinghamshire PCT 5,242 6,995 6,339 
			 Bury PCT 2,659 3,610 3,201 
			 Calderdale PCT 2,664 3,672 2,748 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 5,523 7,711 7,999 
			 Camden PCT 3,298 4,047 3,565 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 5,579 7,290 6,216 
			 Central Lancashire PCT 6,103 8,748 8,167 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 4,025 4,310 4,034 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 5,947 8,018 8,510 
			 County Durham PCT 6,551 8,665 7,572 
			 Coventry Teaching PCT 4,252 3,018 5,356 
			 Croydon PCT 3,556 4,894 4,759 
			 Cumbria Teaching PCT 6,435 9,108 8,269 
			 Darlington PCT 1,112 1,588 1,408 
			 Derby City PCT 3,491 4,495 4,097 
			 Derbyshire County PCT 8,625 11,437 10,216 
			 Devon PCT 8,380 10,721 9,545 
			 Doncaster PCT 3,632 5,183 4,630 
			 Dorset PCT 5,263 7,203 6,032 
			 Dudley PCT 3,920 5,586 5,244 
			 Ealing PCT 5,196 6,830 5,938 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 6,574 8,159 7,369 
			 East Lancashire Teaching PCT 5,447 7,287 6,663 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 3,986 5,296 4,914 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 5,231 6,714 6,740 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 8,564 11,163 9,851 
			 Enfield PCT 3,288 3,899 4,545 
			 Gateshead PCT 3,104 4,184 3,252 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 6,093 8,116 7,352 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 3,409 6,383 4,053 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 2,268 3,199 3,046 
			 Halton and St Helens PCT 4,485 5,882 5,014 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 2,328 3,105 2,472 
			 Hampshire PCT 15,207 20,343 17,383 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 3,313 4,658 3,812 
			 Harrow PCT 2,390 3,300 3,098 
			 Hartlepool PCT 954 1,475 1,208 
			 Hastings and Rother PCT 2,619 3,355 3,245 
			 Havering PCT 2,894 3,420 2,884 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 2,964 5,018 3,865 
			 Herefordshire PCT 2,147 2,004 2,448 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 2,987 3,956 3,235 
			 Hillingdon PCT 3,333 4,509 3,828 
			 Hounslow PCT 3,780 4,043 2,885 
			 Hull Teaching PCT 3,819 4,893 4,345 
			 Isle of Wight NHS PCT 2,085 2,677 2,482 
			 Islington PCT 2,983 3,817 3,014 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 2,303 2,772 2,605 
			 Kingston PCT 2,010 2,509 2,320 
			 Kirklees PCT 5,100 6,370 5,881 
			 Knowsley PCT 2,407 3,503 3,159 
			 Lambeth PCT 3,153 4,742 4,903 
			 Leeds PCT 8,382 10,278 10,786 
			 Leicester City PCT 3,753 4,991 4,494 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 7,474 10,379 8,728 
			 Lewisham PCT 2,747 4,411 4,192 
			 Lincolnshire Teaching PCT 9,815 12,351 12,116 
			 Liverpool PCT 6,311 8,844 7,293 
			 Luton PCT 2,623 2,623 2,993 
			 Manchester PCT 7,570 10,376 9,218 
			 Medway PCT 4,307 4,925 4,640 
			 Mid Essex PCT 4,124 5,072 4,804 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 1,622 2,244 2,009 
			 Milton Keynes PCT 2,207 2,884 3,002 
			 Newcastle PCT 3,426 4,478 3,498 
			 Newham PCT 4,680 5,595 3,764 
			 Norfolk PCT 8,728 11,830 12,792 
			 North East Essex PCT 3,194 3,877 3,249 
			 North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus 1,801 2,421 2,125 
			 North Lancashire Teaching PCT 4,136 5,697 4,885 
			 North Lincolnshire PCT 1,918 2,350 2,264 
			 North Somerset PCT 2,480 2,996 2,968 
			 North Staffordshire PCT 2,635 3,641 3,273 
			 North Tyneside PCT 2,817 3,701 3,180 
			 North Yorkshire and York PCT 9,340 11,676 10,111 
			 Northamptonshire Teaching PCT 7,074 8,883 7,763 
			 Northumberland Care Trust 3,831 5,138 4,291 
			 Nottingham City PCT 3,369 4,487 3,934 
			 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 8,205 10,269 9,068 
			 Oldham PCT 2,945 3,908 3,297 
			 Oxfordshire PCT 6,131 8,208 6,433 
			 Peterborough PCT 1,700 2,355 2,360 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 3,173 3,874 4,000 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 2,997 3,648 3,271 
			 Redbridge PCT 3,065 4,171 4,490 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 1,367 1,926 1,724 
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 2,370 3,231 2,773 
			 Rotherham PCT 3,123 4,290 3,827 
			 Salford PCT 3,129 4,370 3,419 
			 Sandwell PCT 4,332 6,136 3,852 
			 Sefton PCT 4,203 5,432 5,651 
			 Sheffield PCT 7,696 10,166 8,565 
			 Shropshire County PCT 2,593 3,446 3,441 
			 Solihull Care Trust 1,919 2,662 2,792 
			 Somerset PCT 6,403 8,047 6,720 
			 South Birmingham PCT 5,393 7,156 5,911 
			 South East Essex PCT 4,130 5,693 5,566 
			 South Gloucestershire PCT 2,582 3,419 2,938 
			 South Staffordshire PCT 8,199 10,688 9,775 
			 South Tyneside PCT 2,321 2,999 2,727 
			 South West Essex PCT 5,072 6,864 5,623 
			 Southampton City PCT 2,228 3,266 2,994 
			 Southwark PCT 3,105 4,073 4,087 
			 Stockport PCT 3,987 5,186 4,572 
			 Stockton-on-Tees Teaching PCT 2,116 3,038 2,448 
			 Stoke on Trent PCT 3,474 4,349 4,150 
			 Suffolk PCT 7,260 9,412 8,967 
			 Sunderland Teaching PCT 3,538 4,828 3,843 
			 Surrey PCT 12,343 14,914 14,910 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 4,580 6,584 7,613 
			 Swindon PCT 1,992 2,465 3,292 
			 Tameside and Glossop PCT 3,341 4,577 3,875 
			 Telford and Wrekin PCT 1,116 1,301 2,047 
			 Torbay Care Trust 1,532 1,955 2,090 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 3,023 3,245 3,303 
			 Trafford PCT 3,740 4,631 4,300 
			 Wakefield District PCT 4,324 5,046 5,261 
			 Walsall Teaching PCT 3,873 4,895 4,105 
			 Waltham Forest PCT 2,376 3,666 3,933 
			 Wandsworth PCT 5,074 6,769 6,182 
			 Warrington PCT 1,938 2,746 2,197 
			 Warwickshire PCT 6,871 8,851 6,230 
			 West Essex PCT 4,490 4,570 4,001 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT 5,977 9,140 6,579 
			 West Kent PCT 7,990 10,063 9,979 
			 West Sussex PCT 8,710 11,851 10,765 
			 Western Cheshire PCT 3,492 4,877 3,905 
			 Westminster PCT 3,316 4,055 3,636 
			 Wiltshire PCT 5,690 7,371 6,925 
			 Wirral PCT 4,076 5,745 4,502 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 3,353 4,635 4,013 
			 Worcestershire PCT 7,335 12,287 8,120 
			  Note:  General practitioner referrals for 1(st) outpatient appointment by primary care trust.  Source:  MARCOM

Pharmacy

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many community pharmacies there were  (a) in total and  (b) per 100,000 population in (i) England (ii) each primary care trust;
	(2)  how many community pharmacies were under contract with their local primary care trust on  (a) 31 March 2006,  (b) 31 March 2007 and  (c) 31 March 2008 to provide local enhanced services (i) in England and (ii) in each primary care trust area; and how many in each category provided (A) all local enhanced services, (B) anti-coagulant monitoring, (C) diseases specific medicines management, (D) gluten-free food, (E) home delivery, (F) language access, (G) medication reviews, (H) medications assessment and compliance support, (I) minor ailment schemes, (J) needle and syringe exchanges, (K) on-demand availability of specialist drugs, (L) out-of-hours services, (M) patient group direction, (N) prescriber support, (O) screening, (P) stop smoking services, (Q) supervised administration and (R) supplementary prescribing.

Phil Hope: Details of the number of pharmacies in contract with primary care trusts (PCTs) at 31 March 2008 are contained in table 2 of the annual bulletins 'General Pharmaceutical Services in England and Wales' published by the Information Centre for health and social care. Breakdowns by PCT are in the online appendices.
	The number of community pharmacies in contract with PCTs to provide local enhanced services is not collected centrally. Table 6 of the bulletins (table 9 in 1996-97 to 2005-06) lists the total number of local enhanced services provided by pharmacy contractors in contract with PCTs. An individual pharmacy contractor may offer more than one locally enhanced service. Again, breakdowns by PCT are in the online appendices.
	Copies of the 'General Pharmaceutical Services in England and Wales' bulletins and associated online appendices for 1996-97 to 2005-06, 1997-98 to 2006-07 and 1998-99 to 2007-08 have been placed in the Library.
	Copies are also available on the NHS Information Centre website:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/pharmserv9808/General%20Pharmaceutical%20Services%20in%20England%20and %20Wales%202007_08%20PCT%20LHB%20level%20Appendix.xls
	www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/pharmserv9808/General%20Pharmaceutical%20Services%20England%20and%20 Wales%202007-08.pdf

Pharmacy

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reasons he has identified for the decline in the net ingredient cost of items dispensed by pharmacies over the last three years, referred to in the General Pharmaceutical Services in England and Wales 1998-99 to 2007-08 bulletin.

Phil Hope: A number of factors have contributed to the decrease in the average net ingredient cost (NIC) per prescription item since April 2005. These include:
	the introduction in April 2005 of the category M scheme for calculating the reimbursement prices of selected generic medicines, which has lowered overall generic medicine prices in 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08;
	the introduction of the 2005 pharmaceutical price regulation scheme (PPRS) which required all companies that sold more than 1 million worth of branded medicines to the national health service to reduce prices by 7 per cent. This lowered overall branded medicine prices in 2005-06; and
	more effective prescribing with high generic prescribing rates (83 per cent. of all prescription items were written generically in 2006). For example, the quarterly better care, better value indicator on statins has encouraged more systematic prescribing by general practitioners of therapeutically equivalent low cost generic statins in place of higher cost branded statins.

Pharmacy: Manpower

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultant pharmacists worked in the NHS in each year since 2003.

Phil Hope: Since A Vision for Pharmacy in the New NHS first identified this important role in 2003, there has been a steady increase in the number of approved consultant pharmacist posts in England. The number of consultant pharmacists in national health service hospital and community health services, as at 30 September is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of consultant pharmacists 
			 2003 6 
			 2004 8 
			 2005 9 
			 2006 12 
			 2007 14 
			  Source:  NHS Information Centre for health and social care non-medical workforce census. 
		
	
	Informal sources relating to 2008 indicate that there may now be as many as 30 strategic health authority approved consultant pharmacist posts.

Pregnancy: Smoking

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the guidance on smoking and pregnancy provided to pregnant women by his Department, if he will make it his Department's policy to use the phrase 'there's two of you now' in all advice it provides to pregnant women; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: In February 2009, the Department launched a new campaign to motivate and support pregnant smokers to stop smoking. The campaign includes information and materials for midwives, and new resources for pregnant smokers.
	The phrase 'there's two of you now' is not an integral element of the overall messaging of the smoking and pregnancy campaign. It has been used in communication aimed directly at pregnant mothers who smoke and who are seeking information on ways to improve their health and the health of their baby.

Prescriptions: Over-60s

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of providing free prescriptions to those aged over 60.

Dawn Primarolo: The cost of dispensing free prescriptions to those aged 60 and over in England in the community is estimated at between 300 and 350 million for the year 2008-09, where cost is assumed to be prescription charge revenue.
	This estimate is based on Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimates and on an assumption that approximately 70 per cent. of those aged 60 or over would be exempt via another route due to, for example, being a recipient of a qualifying mean-tested benefit or having a medical exemption certificate. The cost is calculated by estimating that 50 per cent. of those having to pay would purchase a prepayment certificate and the balance would pay a charge per item.

R. Channing Wheeler

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the value for money of the employment of Mr R Channing Wheeler as Commercial Director in his Department.

Ben Bradshaw: As the Department's Commercial Director-General, Mr. Channing Wheeler secured the independent sector's further contribution to the national health service bringing to financial close eight Independent Sector Treatment Centre (ISTC) schemes providing extra capacity and greater choice for NHS patients. Mr. Wheeler oversaw the revalidation of ISTC schemes that resulted in nine schemes not going forward where value for money for the taxpayer could not be demonstrated.
	Mr. Wheeler also led the Department's team in renegotiation of the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme and continued to take forward the embedding of commercial expertise within the Department and the NHS.

Rapid Review Panel

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many products the Rapid Review Panel has reviewed in the last 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: The panel has undertaken 51 reviews in the last 12 months.

Slaughterhouses

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the costs incurred by abattoir owners of employment of an on-site veterinarian in each year since the creation of the Meat Hygiene Service.

Dawn Primarolo: The costs attributable to operators of approved fresh meat establishments (including abattoirs) for the employment of Official Veterinarians (OV) and Meat Hygiene Inspectors (MHI) and the actual charge levied on operators are shown in the following table. Under the present charging system, in place since April 2001, it is not possible to separate out the charge to operators for Official Veterinarians.
	
		
			   million 
			   Estimation of industry cost  Total charge paid by food business operators for OVs and MHIs 
			 1995-96 33.9 31.5 
			 1996-97 26.6 26.0 
			 1997-98 31.9 29.8 
			 1998-99 38.9 33.8 
			 1999-2000 42.3 36.3 
			 2000-01 38.4 34.7 
			 2001-02 38.7 20.6 
			 2002-03 46.6 21.5 
			 2003-04 46.2 21.7 
			 2004-05 54.1 23.5 
			 2005-06 55.1 23.5 
			 2006-07 56.7 23.4 
			 2007-08 55.1 23.8

Social Care: Research

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what academic studies he has commissioned as part of the drafting of the Green Paper on Social Care;
	(2)  when he plans to publish the Green Paper on Social Care.

Phil Hope: The Department has commissioned two academic studies to inform the Green Paper process. The purpose of one piece of work, being undertaken by the personal social services research unit, is to make projections of likely future demand for long-term care and associated expenditure under a range of different funding scenarios. The other piece of work, undertaken by Les Mayhew of Cass Business School, concerns the financial products that could potentially support private contributions in a new care and support system.
	The Government intend to publish the Green Paper on care and support reform in spring 2009.

Teenage Pregnancy: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the teenage pregnancy rate was in each of the principal seaside towns of England at  (a) town,  (b) ward and  (c) lower level super output area level, for the most recent year for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated February 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the teenage pregnancy rate was in each of the principal seaside towns of England at (a) town, (b) ward and (c) lower level super output area level, for the most recent year for which figures are available. (257373)
	Figures on teenage conceptions are not routinely published by principal seaside towns of England at (a) town, (b) ward and (c) lower layer super output areas due to concerns in maintaining confidentiality of individuals.
	However, ONS routinely publishes number of conceptions to girls aged under 18 by local authorities in England and the latest figures for 2006 are provided in the table, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Available figures are estimates of the number of conceptions that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or legal termination.

Transplant Surgery: Foreigners

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 826-7W, on transplant surgery: foreigners, 
	(1)  how many of those receiving organs survived beyond the point of their three month check-up;
	(2)  whether the transplantations listed were fully funded by the NHS.

Ann Keen: The following tables show overseas residents transplanted in UK NHS hospitals who (a) died within three months; (b) survived beyond three months; and (c) no three month follow-up information available:
	
		
			  Organ and (ocular) tissue transplants in the UK where the recipient is recorded as being resident outside the UK( 1) , by trust of transplanting hospital, April 1998 to March 2008, where patient died within three months of transplant 
			  Trust  Kidney  Heart  Lung(s)  Heart/lungs  Liver  Cornea  Sclera  Total 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust 24   24 
			 Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 2   2 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust11 
			 Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 St. Mary's NHS Trust 
			 Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 20   20 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Barts and the London NHS Trust 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust  1  1 
			 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust 30   30 
			 St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 North Bristol NHS Trust 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust 5   5 
			 University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 
			 The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Lothian University Hospital NHS Trust 2   2 
			 Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust 
			 Total  1  1 83   85 
			 (1) Residents of the Republic of Ireland not included. 
		
	
	
		
			  Organ and (ocular) tissue transplants in the UK where the recipient is recorded as being resident outside the UK( 1) , by trust of transplanting hospital, April 1998 to March 2008, where patient known to be alive three months post transplant 
			  Trust  Kidney  Heart  Lung(s)  Heart/lungs  Liver  Cornea  Sclera  Total 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust 22   4 
			 Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust  1  1 
			 Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust 92   92 
			 Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 18(2)   18 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust  1 1 24 
			 Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 St. Mary's NHS Trust 3   3 
			 Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 179   80 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 1   1 
			 Barts and the London NHS Trust 1   1 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust 9 2  11 
			 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 1   1 
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust  1  1 
			 Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust  1  1 
			 Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 3   3 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust 298(3)   298 
			 St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust 4   4 
			 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust 1   1 
			 North Bristol NHS Trust 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust  1  1 
			 University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust 128   29 
			 University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 
			 The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust 1   1 
			 Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust 3   3 
			 Lothian University Hospital NHS Trust 
			 Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust 
			 Total 31 3 1 2 517 4  558 
			 (1 )Residents of the Republic of Ireland not included. (2) Includes one liver/kidney/pancreas transplant. (3) Includes one liver/kidney transplant. 
		
	
	
		
			  Organ and (ocular) tissue transplants in the UK where the recipient is recorded as being resident outside the UK( 1) , by trust of transplanting hospital, April 1998 to March 2008, where no three month follow-up information is available 
			  Trust  Kidney  Heart  Lung(s)  Heart/lungs  Liver  Cornea  Sclera  Total 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust 2   2 
			 Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust 40 1  41 
			 Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
			 West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust  1  1 
			 Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust 
			 Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust  1  1 
			 St. Mary's NHS Trust 1   1 
			 Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust  1  1 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 1   1 
			 University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Barts and the London NHS Trust 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust 4 3 2 9 
			 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust  22 7 29 
			 Hammersmith Hospitals NHS trust 
			 Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust  7  7 
			 Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust  9  9 
			 Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 2 1  3 
			 King's College Hospital NHS Trust 29   29 
			 St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust  3  3 
			 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 1   1 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 North Bristol NHS Trust 1   1 
			 Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust  1  1 
			 Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust 33   6 
			 University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 1   1 
			 The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust  1  1 
			 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust 2   2 
			 Lothian University Hospital NHS Trust 
			 Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust  1  1 
			 Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust  1  1 
			 Total 1674 53 9 152 
			 (1 )Residents of the Republic of Ireland not included. 
		
	
	Information as to whether the transplantations listed were fully funded by the NHS is not collated centrally.

Transplant Surgery: Foreigners

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 826-27W, on transplant surgery: foreigners, how many transplants of each type or organ have taken place in  (a) private hospitals and  (b) private units within NHS trusts and foundation trusts in each of the last 10 years.

Ann Keen: The following table shows the number of transplants to overseas residents in the United Kingdom units which the National Transplant Database has recorded as private hospitals, April 1998 - March 2008:
	
		
			  Transplant type  1998- 9 9  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002 -03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  Total 
			 Kidney 0 3 1 4 4 2 3 2 3 3 (1)25 
			 Liver 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 (1)1 
			 Cornea 2 2 7 9 3 4 2 0 1 0 30 
			 Sclera 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Total 2 5 8 13 9 6 5 3 4 3 58 
			 (1) From living donor 
		
	
	Pursuant to the answer given on 14 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 826-27W, information is not collated centrally on whether the transplants took place in private units within national health service and foundation trusts.

Tuberculosis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what co-operation his Department undertakes with its counterparts in Scotland and Wales to combat tuberculosis in Great Britain.

Dawn Primarolo: Health policies for England, Scotland and Wales are determined by each country individually. However, each health department maintains regular contact and sharing of policies on tuberculosis (TB) through a number of formal routes, such as the UK Health Protection Oversight Group, which meets regularly to maintain good communication between the four nations (including Northern Ireland), and informally as needed.
	Through these meetings, key publications such as the Department's TB Action Plan, the NICE TB Prevention and Control Guidance and the awareness raising work are shared with Scotland and Wales, who consider England's actions when formulating their own policies.
	The Health Protection Agency in England has close links with each health department, and collects and publishes annual data on TB rates for each country.

Tuberculosis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve general practitioners' ability to detect tuberculosis at an early stage.

Dawn Primarolo: In 2006, the Department has supported the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in development of guidance Clinical Diagnosis and Management of Tuberculosis, and Measures for its Prevention and Control to increase awareness of tuberculosis (TB) among general practitioners to improve referrals for TB testing, diagnosis and treatment in specialised facilities.
	Currently, the Department is sponsoring TB Alert to develop TB awareness raising messages for people at risk of TB to increase referrals for TB testing and effective treatment as well as with primary care workers to increase awareness of TB.

Tuberculosis: HIV Infection

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) are subsequently tested for HIV infection; and what proportion of those diagnosed with HIV are subsequently tested for TB.

Dawn Primarolo: To protect identity of patients with HIV/AIDS, the national HIV/AIDS database is anonymised. For this reason, it is not possible to identify the sequence in which the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB)/HIV co-infection was established. It is only possible to identify an overall proportion of patients with TB/HIV co-infection.
	The most recent data from the Health Protection Agency indicate that approximately 8 per cent. of TB cases in England are co-infected with HIV (2005).

Tuberculosis: HIV Infection

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of tuberculosis (TB) patients in England are co-infected with HIV; and what plans there are to reduce HIV-TB co-infection rates.

Dawn Primarolo: The most recent data from the Health Protection Agency indicate that approximately 8 per cent. of tuberculosis (TB) cases in England are co-infected with HIV (2005).
	The Department supported development of the following guidance that recommends shared case management between TB and HIV professions:
	'Clinical Diagnosis and Management of Tuberculosis, and Measures for its Prevention and Control' (National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), 2006)
	'Tuberculosis Prevention and Treatment: A Toolkit for Planning, Commissioning and Delivering High-Quality Services in England' (2007);
	'Recommended Standards for NHS HIV Services' (2003);
	'HIV in Primary Care' (2004); and
	'HIV for non- HIV Specialists' (2008).
	Copies have been placed in the Library.

Tuberculosis: Medical Treatments

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of tuberculosis (TB) patients received directly observed therapy in the last five years; what proportion of those had a treatment outcome of lost to follow up; and what steps NHS trusts take to encourage patients to complete the course of their treatment for TB.

Dawn Primarolo: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) does not collect these data. The HPA has recently redeveloped its surveillance system to collect this information about risk factors and whether patients started on treatment are under direct observation, and the new system is currently being rolled out nationally.
	In 2007, the Department initiated a 'Find and Treat' (FT) project to actively look for cases of tuberculosis (TB) among the homeless and other vulnerable groups in London, and to promote the use of directly observed treatment (DOT), which provides supervised medication and support to patients to improve adherence to treatment. Currently, the FT team is helping over 300 people with TB who have challenging lifestyles to complete their treatment.

Tuberculosis: Medical Treatments

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to prevent the spread of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.

Dawn Primarolo: Prevention of the emergence and spread of any type of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is being addressed through the Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) TB Action Plan. The Plan provides guidelines to primary care trusts on improving the public health surveillance system, fast and comprehensive detection of cases, rapid identification of drug resistance if it exists, and good clinical management, including measures to ensure treatment is both appropriate and completed by the patient.
	National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guidelines on the Treatment and Diagnosis of TB (2006) include specific guidance on treatment and rapid contact tracing of people in contact with any type of drug resistant TB.
	The key step in preventing development of drug-resistant TB is improving adherence to treatment among those TB patients who have already started their treatment.
	In 2007, the Department has initiated a 'Find and Treat' project to actively look for cases of TB among the homeless and other vulnerable groups in London, and to promote the use of directly observed therapy, which provides supervised medication and support to patients to improve adherence to treatment.

Tuberculosis: Medical Treatments

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of those diagnosed with tuberculosis complete treatment; and what steps are being taken to increase treatment completion rates.

Dawn Primarolo: Information from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) Enhanced Tuberculosis Surveillance System shows that of the 93 per cent. of tuberculosis (TB) cases reported in 2006 in England for which the outcome is known, 79 per cent. completed treatment within 12 months of starting treatment.
	The Department of Health has issued the following guidance which supports primary care trusts (PCTs) in improving treatment completion:
	'Clinical Diagnosis and Management of Tuberculosis, and Measures for its Prevention and Control' (National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), 2006); and
	'Tuberculosis Prevention and Treatment: A Toolkit for Planning, Commissioning and Delivering High-Quality Services in England' (2007).
	In 2007, the Department has initiated a 'Find and Treat' project to actively look for cases of TB among the homeless and other vulnerable groups in London, and to promote the use of directly observed therapy, which provides supervised medication and support to patients to improve adherence to treatment.
	Currently, the Department is sponsoring an awareness campaign by TB Alert to raise awareness of TB among groups vulnerable to TB, including the importance of TB treatment completion.

Tuberculosis: Medical Treatments

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on treating drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) patients in the last five years; and if he will estimate the cost of treating those patients as if they had drug-susceptible TB.

Dawn Primarolo: Data on the costs associated with treatment of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MRD-TB), either by case or in total, are not routinely collected. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence have undertaken analysis of TB treatment costs as part of the development of guidance 'TuberculosisNational clinical guideline for diagnosis, management, prevention, and control'.
	An estimated average cost of treating one patient with MDR-TB is 60,000, compared to an 6,000 for an average case of drug-susceptible TB.
	The number (and proportion) of confirmed tuberculosis cases with MDR-TB in England by year 2002-07 is as follows:
	
		
			   Number  Proportion (percentage) 
			 2002 33 0.9 
			 2003 49 1.3 
			 2004 44 1.1 
			 2005 40 0.9 
			 2006 49 1.1 
			 2007 47 1.1 
			  Note: The proportions are among culture confirmed cases reported to ETS that had drug susceptibility testing results for at least isoniazid and rifampicin.  Source: Health Protection Agency Enhanced Tuberculosis Surveillance System (ETS)

Tuberculosis: Medical Treatments

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the threat from extensive drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) to public health; and what capacity the NHS has to treat multiple XDR-TB patients.

Dawn Primarolo: In the United Kingdom, less than 1 per cent. of tuberculosis (TB) cases are multi drug resistant (MDR-TB), that is, less than 50 TB cases per year. A very small proportion of the UK MDR cases might now be classed as extensive drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). The Health Protection Agency (HPA) maintains monitoring of all types of TB, and since 1993, a total of eight cases would fall into the definition of XDR-TB.
	Drug-resistant TB cases need to be treated in airflow controlled isolation. In 2003, the National Audit Office carried out an audit of the national health service (NHS) isolation facilities. A total of 176 trusts were surveyed. Out of these, 63 had at least one airflow controlled room, with a total of about 300 (this figure includes paediatric facilities). It is for the NHS to determine the local level of provision of isolation facilities.

Tuberculosis: Schools

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many outbreaks of tuberculosis have occurred in schools in  (a) London and  (b) England in the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The data for tuberculosis (TB) outbreaks are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of school outbreaks in England( 1)  Number of school outbreaks in London 
			 2008(2) 58 34 
			 2007 56 25 
			 2006 51 17 
			 2005 55 31 
			 2004 53 23 
			 Total 273 130 
			 (1) Inclusive of London incidents. (2) As of 6 February 2009.  Source: Health Protection Agency's TB incident and outbreak surveillance system (TBIOS)

Vaccinations: Pensioners

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners in York received influenza inoculations in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: Flu vaccine is given free of charge on the national health service to those aged 65 years and over. This influenza vaccine uptake is reported to the Department by primary care trusts (PCTs) and strategic health authorities and is based on the number of patients registered at reporting general practitioner practices who were vaccinated between 1 September and 31 January of the given year. Data are not collected by constituency.
	The city of York is currently covered by North Yorkshire and York PCT and prior to 2006 was covered by Selby and York PCT.
	
		
			   Primary Care Trust  Number of registered patients 65 years and over  Number of patients 65 years and over vaccinated  % uptake (to 1 decimal point) 
			 2008-09 North Yorkshire and York PCT 149,559 113,411 75.8 
			 2007-08 North Yorkshire and York PCT 146,894 111,177 75.7 
			 2006-07 North Yorkshire and York PCT 145,440 110,892 76.2 
			 2005-06 Selby and York PCT 46,860 37,561 80.2 
			 2004-05 Selby and York PCT(1) 46,883 35,553 76 
			 1 Data collected for the year 2004-05 were cumulative to 31 December 2004.

Vioxx

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions  (a) he,  (b) Ministers in his Department and  (c) officials in his Department have had since June 2008 with the US Administration on the drug Vioxx; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Neither Ministers nor officials in the Department have held any discussions with the United States Administration on this matter.

Vioxx

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating those with health impairments resulting from the use of Vioxx in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has made no such estimate.

Vioxx

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people who have experienced strokes related to their use of the drug Vioxx.

Dawn Primarolo: Vioxx (rofecoxib) was one of a relatively new group of anti-inflammatory medicines known as COX-2 selective inhibitors. It was licensed in the United Kingdom and many other countries for the treatment of arthritic conditions - osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritisand also for the short-term treatment of some painful conditions. COX-2 selective inhibitors are effective anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving medicines that are thought to have less risk of gastrointestinal side effects, for example stomach ulcers, than conventional anti-inflammatory medicines.
	Since 2000, evidence from clinical trials had raised concerns about a possible increased risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular conditions associated with Vioxx, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)/Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) had continually reviewed the cardiovascular safety of this drug since it was first licensed. The product information for healthcare professionals and patients, which lists all the known side effects of the medicine, was updated on a number of occasions on the basis of emerging evidence, and in accordance with CSM's advice.
	Data are not available on which to base a valid estimate of the number of heart attacks, strokes and other adverse effects that may have been caused by Vioxx and other COX-2 inhibitors. The underlying medical condition of many patients treated with COX-2 inhibitors means that they are already at higher risk of heart attack and stroke than the rest of the population, and the impact of the COX-2 inhibitor on this risk is not possible to calculate.
	Since Vioxx was voluntarily withdrawn by the manufacturer in 2004, the safety of other COX-2 inhibitors and traditional anti-inflammatory drugsnon-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)has been under continual and intense assessment in the UK and Europe. The latest evidence suggests that both NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors might pose a small increased risk of heart attacks or strokes, although the exact level of risk may vary between medicines. The MHRA has widely communicated the latest information and advice for healthcare professionals in letters and bulletins, and other publications through liaison with the British National Formulary and National Prescribing Centre. In addition, product information (including patient information leaflets) has been updated in order to support informed decision-making in relation to the choice of anti-inflammatory medicine.

Vioxx: Compensation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Legal Services Commission since June 2008 on the award of legal aid for actions involving damage to health caused to individuals by the drug Vioxx; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: We have had no such discussions. It would be inappropriate for either Ministers or Government officials to intervene in or comment on decisions made about the grant of funding by the independent Legal Services Commission in individual cases. It is important that these decisions are, and are seen to be, free from political and Government influence.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid his Department provided to Afghanistan in 2008; what the projected figure is for 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: Details on the Department for International Development's (DFID) expenditure in 2008-09 are not yet available but will be published in the 2009 Annual Report in July. The most recent data can be found in 'Statistics on International Development 2008', which was published in November 2008 and is available online at:
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	Details of DFID's annual allocation of resources are available in Annex 2 of DFID's 2008 Annual Report. This publication is available online at:
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	or from the Library. The allocation for DFID's programme in Afghanistan in 2009-10 is 115 million.

Agriculture: Research

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1614W, on agriculture: research, which nations have received funding for agricultural research and development from his Department in the last five years.

Michael Foster: The majority of DFID's centrally funded expenditure on agricultural research is directed through international agricultural research organisations. These funds are used to benefit the lives of poor people in all developing countries, especially in Africa and Asia. DFID also supports regional programmes in the Andes, East Africa and West Africa. Regional programmes are planned for Southern Africa and South Asia. A table of organisations and programmes supported by DFID is attached with information on the countries/regions they cover.
	DFID is contributing 5 million over five years through a strategic partnership with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) under the programme on Sustainable Agriculture Research for International Development to fund 12 research grants in crop science. These grants were announced in January 2008 and have been made to consortia which include one UK partner and at least one partner from a developing country. In 2008-09, partners from Bangladesh, China, Ghana, India, Kenya, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda, have directly benefited from this programme.
	
		
			  Name of institution/programme  Countries/regions covered 
			 Andes Regional Programme South America 
			 Pro-Poor Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Risk Reduction Africa and Asia 
			 Project- Lead institutions - Food and Agriculture Organization,  
			 International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and  
			 International Livestock Research Institute (ILR1)  
			 Sustainable Agriculture Research for International Development (SARID) Bangladesh, China, Ghana, India, Kenya, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda 
			 Bioversity International (IPGRI) Global 
			 Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International (CABI) Global 
			 Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Central, West, Eastern and Southern Africa and Latin America 
			 East African Regional Programme (Agriculture) (ASARECA) Eastern and Central Africa 
			 Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) Africa 
			 Generation Challenge Programme Global 
			 Global Alliance Livestock Vaccines and Medicines (GALVmed) Africa and Asia 
			 Harvest Plus Challenge Programme Brazil, China and India 
			 International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) North Africa, Nile Valley, Sub-Saharan Africa, West Asia, Arabian Peninsula, Highlands of North Africa  West Asia and Latin America 
			 International Centre for development oriented Research in Agriculture (ICRA) Global 
			 International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Africa, Asia and South America 
			 International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Global 
			 International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) North Africa  Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, South  Central Asia, East and South East Asia, Central, South and Caribbean 
			 International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Africa 
			 International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Global 
			 International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) Global 
			 International Potato Centre (CIP) Global 
			 International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Global 
			 International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Global 
			 Research into Use Africa and Asia 
			 South Asia (planned) South Asia 
			 Southern Africa (planned with Southern African Development Community (SADC)) Southern Africa 
			 West Africa Regional Programme (Agriculture) (CORAF) West Africa 
			 West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) Africa 
			 World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF) Eastern Africa, West  Central Africa, Southern Africa, Latin America, South Asia and South East Asia 
			 World Vegetable Center (AVRDC) Global 
			 WorldFish Centre (ICLARM) Global

Departmental Foreign Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed by his Department.

Michael Foster: Declaration of nationality by staff within the Department for International Development (DFID) is voluntary. Where details are known, the numbers of our Home Civil Service (HCS) staff who are:
	 (a) EU foreign nationals and;
	 (b) non-EU foreign nationals are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of home civil service staff 
			 EU foreign nationals 29 
			 non-EU foreign nationals 6 
		
	
	DFID also employs 787 staff appointed in country (SAIC), engaged in our overseas offices on local terms and conditions. Most SAIC are non-EU nationals.

Islamic Development Bank

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Islamic Development Bank on development finance; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: I signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Islamic Development Bank during my visit to Saudi Arabia in January 2009 with the aim of increasing co-operation in countries and sectors of mutual interest. This was the first agreement of its kind between the Department for International Development (DFID) and an Arab or Islamic development institution.
	DFID has been increasing its engagement with the Islamic Development Bank over the last two years building a partnership around common aims. The Islamic Development Bank's 'Vision 1440H' supports the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
	In November 2008 DFID and the Bank launched a first joint project to deliver access to clean water and improved sanitation for 36,000 people in Al Howta City in Yemen. DFID and Bank officials are currently exploring new areas for co-operation.

Morphine: Developing Countries

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to provide morphine supplies to developing countries for medical purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) is working with the Foreign Office, the Home Office, and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), to press for greater recognition of the importance of access to controlled medicines, including oral morphine, at the forthcoming Commission on Narcotic Drugs in March 2009. This is being supported through a DFID-funded post in the UK Mission in Vienna. We are also working with the US Government to identify pilot countries in which we can support greater access to oral opiates for pain relief and for use in harm reduction interventions for injecting drug users.
	Major legal and regulatory barriers to access for strong analgesics, such as oral morphine, have been identified in many countries in DFID commissioned research studies. We have discussed these barriers with experts from multilateral agencies and national governments, and developed a programme of work aimed at overcoming them. Further information on DFID funded research is available on the DFID website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/

Overseas Aid

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  how much aid his Department has provided to Zimbabwe in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how much aid his Department has provided to  (a) Bangladesh,  (b) Sri Lanka,  (c) Lebanon and  (d) Somalia in the last 12 months;
	(3)  how much aid his Department has provided to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last 12 months;
	(4)  how much aid his Department has provided to Somaliland in the last 12 months;
	(5)  how much aid his Department has provided to Gaza in the last 12 months.

Michael Foster: Details on the Department for International Development (DFID) bilateral expenditure and imputed share of multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) are contained in the DFID publication 'Statistics on International Development'. This publication is available from in the Library and online at:
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	Relevant figures are produced in the following table.
	It is difficult to give precise figures for Gaza, as some of our aid is earmarked for activities in both Gaza and the west bank. Figures for both Gaza and the west bank are presented below. Similarly, it is not possible to give separate figures for Somaliland, as it is part of the Somalia programme. Figures for Somalia are produced in the following table.
	
		
			  DFID expenditure in 2007-08 
			  000 
			   Total DFID bilateral expenditure  DFID imputed multilateral shares 
			 Zimbabwe 43,266 7,427 
			 Bangladesh 129,392 42,027 
			 Sri Lanka 1,817 6,290 
			 Lebanon 169 7,111 
			 Somalia 25,724 8,812 
			 Democratic Republic of Congo 82,711 34,297 
			 West Bank and Gaza 45,033 58,316

St. Helena: Economic Growth

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with businesses on the development of the economy of St Helena.

Michael Foster: I met representatives of Impregilo on 10 February in regard to their tender for the St. Helena airport project. I intend to meet representatives of the St. Helena Leisure Corporation (Shelco) shortly.
	Through our support to the St. Helena Development Agency, we maintain regular contact with the private sector in St. Helena, including the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism Association and other local businesses. The Agency also maintains dialogue with inward investors and provides assistance to those seeking to invest in St. Helena.

Tax Havens: Developing Countries

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent estimate he has made of the level of tax revenue lost in developing countries from the use by multinational companies operating in those countries of tax havens.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	There is no official estimate of the level of tax revenues lost in developing countries by these means. DFID, in consultation with HMT and HMRC, has commissioned research into this subject which it is hoped will be completed by the end of the year.

Tuberculosis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of tuberculosis (TB) patients being cared for in programmes funded by his Department are tested for HIV; and what proportion of HIV patients in such programmes are tested for TB.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) funds TB and HIV programmes through support to global partnerships; such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) and UNITAID, multilateral organisations such as the World Health Organisation, support to countries and support for research. Our funds are often pooled with that of other donors and partner countries. We also support the broader health sector plans of developing country governments through sector wide programming and poverty reduction budget support.
	It is difficult to attribute the proportion of TB patients who are also tested for HIV and the proportion of HIV patients tested for TB. However, in a number of countries supported by DFID, the co-ordination of TB and HIV programmes is continuing to improve. The World Health Organisation reports that there has been a substantial improvement in TB-HIV collaboration activities. The provision of HIV testing for TB patients between 2002 and 2006 increased from 21,806 across nine countries in 2002 to 687,174 patients across 112 countries in 2006. Screening for TB among HIV positive people attending HIV care services grew from 194,718 in 2005 to 314,394 people in 2006.

Tuberculosis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department provides to organisations developing tuberculosis diagnostics for use in developing countries.

Michael Foster: Between 2005 and 2008 the Department for International Development (DFID) provided 5.5 million for the Special Programme for Research and Training on Tropical Diseases (TDR; UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO) between 2005 and 2008. TDR focuses on accelerating the development of new diagnostics, including for tuberculosis, and identifying those which may be appropriate and useful for developing countries. We are in the first stage of a competition, inviting expressions of interest from organisations involved in product development, which will lead to bids for our research funding. We expect groups working on diagnostics to be among the applicants.

Tuberculosis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with which organisations his Department is working to develop a new vaccine against tuberculosis for use in developing countries.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID), along with other donors, supports the Advanced Market Commitment (AMC). This is an innovative funding mechanism, which commits governments to fund an agreed volume of doses at an agreed price if a product is successfully developed. This AMC will be formally implemented in the first half of 2009 and accelerate the introduction and distribution in developing countries of pneumococcal vaccine.
	There is significant expectation around the launch of a second AMC. This would potentially be targeted at developing a vaccine for tuberculosis (TB), but there are other critical diseases (such as malaria) that also need to be addressed.
	The UK is focused on completing the implementation of the pneumococcal vaccine AMC. Following completion, we plan to reconvene the group of independent international experts (that recommended that the first AMC address pneumococcus) and request that they to make a recommendation for the next AMC.
	We are in the first stage of a competition, inviting expressions of interest from organisations involved in product development, which will lead to bids for our research funding. We expect groups working on vaccines to be among the applicants.

Tuberculosis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all tuberculosis (TB) patients in developing countries have access to quality TB diagnostic services and treatment.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) supports access to quality TB diagnostic services and treatment through: international organisations and partnerships, countries' TB programmes, and health systems strengthening. We provide core funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and to the Stop TB Partnership. We pledged up to 1 billion for 2008-15 to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and made a long-term commitment to the international drug purchase facility UNITAID starting with 20 million in 2007.
	Examples of DFID support to countries' TB programmes include:
	In China, funding from DFID and other donors has contributed to increasing detection rates from 30 per cent. in 2002 to over 70 per cent. in 2007; cure rates are now well above 85 per cent. and 1.5 million patients are being successfully treated.
	In India, we support the national TB programme which has treated 6.3 million patients and saved 1.1 million lives since 1997.
	DFID provides budget support to Pakistan, where case detection rates increased from 13 per cent. in 2002 to 51 per cent. in 2006 and to 69 per cent. in 2007.

Tuberculosis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the effect of extensively drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis in developing countries on the prospects of fulfilment of the Global Plan to Stop TB;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to prevent the spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis globally.

Michael Foster: The emergence of drug resistant strains of tuberculosis (TB) pose a serious threat to achieving the goals of the Global Plan to Stop TB. The response to drug resistant TB falls far short of what is needed. Much more needs to be done to ensure prompt quality diagnosis and effective treatment.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) funds research into new TB drugs, through the Global Alliance for TB Drugs, and also operational research. In 2006 DFID provided an additional 1.6 million to the Stop TB Partnership to address extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) in South Africa. This was in response to an urgent request from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
	Prompt diagnosis and effective treatment is essential to prevent the emergence of drug resistance. DFID supports actions to strengthen TB programmes through international organisations such as the World Health Organisation, global partnerships such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and UNITAID, our support to countries' health systems and our funding for research. By 1 December 2008, global fund-supported programmes had detected and treated 4.6 million additional cases of infectious tuberculosis.

Written Questions: Government Responses

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he plans to answer Question 246213, tabled by the hon. Member for Stroud on 17 December 2008, on UK National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and Afghanistan.

Michael Foster: The parliamentary question referred to by my hon. Friend was transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and answered on 12 February 2009,  Official Report, column 2308-09W.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Arms Trade

Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the Government's policy is on UK companies exhibiting at the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar in Karachi; what guidance his Department issues to companies on  (a) exhibiting at overseas arms exhibitions and  (b) exporting arms to (i) Sudan and (ii) Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: UK companies' attendance at overseas defence exhibitions is a matter for those companies and the exhibition organisers. Guidance on the impact of the UK's trade controls' on exhibitions is available on the BERR website. Further guidance may be given to companies as appropriate by export control advisers in BERR so that their attendance at an exhibition may comply with UK law on the export of defence goods, including in respect of embargoed destinations such as Zimbabwe, and Sudan. UKTI Defence and Security Organisation offers support and advice to defence and security companies to assist them succeed internationally. That organisation attended the recent defence exhibition and seminar in Karachi and displayed a range of equipment in accordance with UK law on exports.

Australia: Overseas Trade

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the monetary value of trade between the UK and  (a) Queensland,  (b) New South Wales and  (c) Western Australia was in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Gareth Thomas: The United Kingdom does not produce statistics on trade with sub-national parts of other countries. The Australian Government publishes some data on trade between the UK and individual Australian states and territories, for example at:
	http://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/stats-pubs/trade_state_and_territory.html

Australia: Overseas Trade

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the monetary value of  (a) exports from the UK to Australia and  (b) imports from Australia to the UK was in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Gareth Thomas: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 8 December 2008,  Official Report, column 23W.
	On 10 February 2009, the Office for National Statistics published its first estimates of trade in goods for 2008: UK exports of goods to Australia were worth 3,091 million and UK imports of goods were worth 2,378 million. Figures for UK trade in services with Australia in 2008 are due to be published in the late summer.

Bed and Breakfast Accommodation

James Paice: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the number of bed and breakfast establishments in  (a) rural areas and ( b) urban areas in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated February 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what estimate has been made of the number of bed and breakfast establishments in (a) rural areas and (b) urban areas in each year since 1997 (255743).
	The main source of business count estimates is the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR). The IDBR comprises of VAT and/or PAYE registered businesses, however most bed and breakfast establishments will fall below the threshold for VAT and PAYE registration and so will be excluded.
	The table below covers those enterprises registered for VAT and/or PAYE held on the IDBR and classified, using the Standard Industrial Classification (2003), to subclass 5523/9 other tourist or short stay accommodation. This subclass includes guest houses, farmhouses, inns with letting rooms and other facilities not elsewhere classified. Statistics on urban and rural geography are only available for England and Wales and from 2005 onwards.
	
		
			  Count of VAT and/or PAYE based Enterprises in England and Wales by SIC2003 subclass 5523/9 and Urban/Rural split 
			  Data as at March of the year specified  Rural  Urban  Total 
			 2005 515 840 1,355 
			 2006 560 870 1,430 
			 2007 600 890 1,490 
			 2008 665 950 1,615 
			  Note: All figures have been rounded to avoid disclosure.

Biotechnology

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department is taking to encourage investment in the biotechnology industry.

Ian Pearson: The Review and Refresh of Bioscience 2015 was published on 22 January 2009 and its recommendations are currently being considered by the Government. A formal response will issue in the spring.
	Businesses, including firms in the biotechnology sector, can find out about eligibility for a range of Government support schemes from the 'Real help for businesses now' web page hosted by Business Link at
	http://www.businesslink.gov.uk

Borrowing: Elderly

David Anderson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he is taking to inform older people of the risks they incur through borrowing too much.

Gareth Thomas: The Government fully recognise the risks for older people of borrowing too much, particularly for those on low incomes. The vast majority of older people have no debts and are able to manage their finances. However, we are aware that many older people struggle to meet the cost of day to day living, and that some have been borrowing to finance these costs.
	The Government have invested considerable resource in debt advice over recent years. It has allocated 130 million to expand the provision of free debt advice for the financially excluded through the Financial Inclusion Fund. A further 15.85 million was allocated to support the National Debt Line and Citizen's Advice in the last Pre-Budget Report. These services are targeted at the financially excluded, including older people in financial difficulty.
	The Government have also undertaken a number of measures to strengthen signposting to debt advice services, including a Direct.Gov campaign. The Direct.Gov website provides links to Help the Aged, Age Concern and other organisations able to provide financial information to this vulnerable group.

Business: Government Assistance

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assistance his Department provides to businesses to assist them with export activities.

Gareth Thomas: UK Trade and Investment is the joint BERR/FCO organisation that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy and assists overseas companies to bring high quality investment to the UK.
	UKTI's trade development services for UK-based companies help them to develop their international trade potential, and to access international markets. Further details on these services can be found in UKTI's Autumn Performance Report 2008 (Cm 7520) and on UKTI's website
	www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk.

Business: Government Assistance

Andrew Smith: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment his Department has made of the proposal from the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts for a fund to support early stage companies.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government are aware of the difficulties small companies are facing in raising venture capital funding and the risk that this poses to the UK's economic future. We are currently working with the venture capital sector, businesses and investors to discuss possible solutions. This includes discussions with NESTA about their proposal, but no decisions have yet been made.

Car Industry: Redundancy

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  how many redundancies from positions in the car manufacturing industries have been notified to his Department in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many redundancies in the commercial vehicle manufacturing industry have been notified to his Department in the last 12 months.

Patrick McFadden: Employers who propose to make 20 or more redundancies at one establishment are required to notify the Secretary of State of the proposal under provisions contained in the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Records are held using the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. In the period 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008 this Department was notified of the following proposed redundancies:
	(SIC 29) Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers6154
	(SIC 30) Manufacture of other transport equipment9098

Consumer Focus: Manpower

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many Consumer Focus staff work principally on postal services issues.

Patrick McFadden: At the current time, 12 Consumer Focus staff work primarily on postal services issues, including postal and post office network activity. A further five staff work directly on postal services issues, as part of their wider responsibilities.
	Of the 17 staff who work directly on postal services issues, 11 staff work on a Great Britain wide basis, there are three staff in Consumer Focus Northern Ireland post, two staff in Consumer Focus Scotland and a staff member in Consumer Focus Wales.
	Consumer Focus formed on 1 October 2008 as a result of the merger between the National Consumer Council, Postwatch and energywatch.

Credit Cards: Interest Rates

Jessica Morden: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department is taking to ensure that credit card companies do not charge exorbitant interest rates.

Gareth Thomas: The Government fully understand the recent concerns over high interest rates charged by some credit card lenders. We secured agreement from credit card lenders to develop fair principles for any interest rate increase they introduce on reviewing an individual's account. These came into force in January 2009 and provide extra protections when a customer or group of customers' interest rate is changed as a result of a perceived change in their ability to repay their debts.
	Where a lender increases their rates, customers will be given the option to close down their account and repay their remaining balance at the existing rate of interest. Lenders also agreed not to increase rates for customers who have failed to make two or more consecutive minimum payments, where an agreed repayment plan is in place for the account, or where lenders have been notified by a not-for-profit debt advice agency that the customer is in serious discussion with it.
	Credit card lenders will also give a breathing space of up to 60 days to borrowers in difficulty. During this time lenders will not commence debt collection proceedings, giving borrowers time to agree a repayment plan with the help of a not-for-profit debt advice agency.
	We have also implemented a number of measures to provide vulnerable and low-income consumers with access to affordable credit and free debt advice. 80 million has been invested in the Growth Fund scheme to support loans to low-income families, and 130 million has been allocated to expand the provision of free debt advice for the financially excluded through the Financial Inclusion Fund. The Government will continue to monitor the credit market closely through the new Consumer Finance Forum, bringing together representatives from the financial services industry, consumer groups and Government. This Forum will meet regularly to address issues facing borrowers during the downturn.

Credit Reference Agencies: Regulation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what statutory requirements there are on credit reference agencies to provide information to his Department and its agencies; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 10 February 2009
	Under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, credit reference agencies must be licensed by the Office of Fair Trading. Certain essential information about the firm must be provided to OFT as part of the application process for a licence. Credit reference agencies may also be required or permitted to supply information to relevant investigating authorities for the purposes of criminal investigations under the Social Security Fraud Act and the Data Protection Act. There are no specific statutory requirements for the provision of information to BERR or its agencies by credit reference agencies.
	The Government are in discussion with the credit industry with regard to agreeing the voluntary provision by lenders of data on the performance of credit markets. This may involve the release of data held by credit reference agencies on behalf of credit providers. Any such data sharing will be compliant with data protection principles.

Credit: EU Action

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent assessment he has made of whether personal reserves on bank accounts should be brought within regulations under the European Consumer Credit Directive.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 29 January 2009
	Bank accounts that offer personal reserve facilities do fall within the scope of credit agreements covered by the consumer credit directive. The directive is due to be implemented by June 2010 and BERR will be consulting formally on implementation proposals in spring 2009.

Departmental Air Travel

John Redwood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many official journeys  (a) the Secretary of State and his predecessors and  (b) his officials made by plane in each of the last five years.

Patrick McFadden: The number of official journeys made by plane by  (a) Minister of State for the Department for Business and Regulatory Reform and his predecessors and  (b) his officials for the last five years was as follows:
	
		
			  January to December each year  (a)  (b) 
			 2005 14 6,098 
			 2006 33 4,912 
			 2007 22 4,101 
			 2008 15 4,029 
		
	
	Figures for 2004 are not available; to obtain these figures would entail disproportionate costs.
	Travel by Ministers and civil servants is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code respectively.

Departmental Consultants

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many expert advisers, excluding special advisers, have been commissioned by his Department since June 2007; and on which topics they have advised.

Patrick McFadden: The Department does not define the term expert advisers (excluding special advisers) or hold a central list of such advisers. Details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2008,  Official Report, column 599W, on departmental ICT, what the original expected  (a) cost and  (b) delivery date was of each project referred to; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: The original expected  (a) cost and  (b) delivery date for each of the BERR ICT projects referred to in the answer of 16 December 2008,  Official Report, column 599W, were as follows:
	 HR Online
	 (a) 7.2 million for development and implementation; 1.1 million per annum for support.
	 (b) May 2008.
	 SPIRE 3
	 (a) 897,000 for development and implementation; 155,000 per annum for support,
	 (b) March 2009.
	 RITE
	 (a) 800,000 for development and implementation; 641,000 per annum for support.
	 (b) December 2008.
	 Point of Single Contact
	 (a) 1.6 million; support costs continue to be negotiated.
	 (b) March 2010.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform which ICT projects his Department and its predecessors initiated and abandoned before completion in each year since 1997; what costs were incurred in each project; who the contractors for each were; on what date each was  (a) commenced and  (b) abandoned; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: Since 1997 the Department and its predecessors have not abandoned any ICT projects initiated during this period. The Department has a main information technology contract which is a private finance initiative (PFI) agreement with Fujitsu Services and this has been in place for more almost 10 years as well an alternative IT framework agreement with a number of other suppliers to enable competition.
	The Department does not hold central information regarding ICT projects initiated by its agencies.

Departmental Official Hospitality

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what records his Department maintains of its expenditure on  (a) official hospitality and  (b) alcohol for official hospitality.

Patrick McFadden: All expenditure on entertainment and hospitality is recorded on Mentor, the Department's financial accounting and management system. There is no separate record of expenditure on alcohol for official hospitality. All spending on official entertainment is made in accordance with the principles set out in 'Managing Public Money'.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department spent on Ministerial hospitality in  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06,  (c) 2006-07 and  (d) 2007-08, expressed in current prices.

Patrick McFadden: The Department's accounting system does not separately identify ministerial hospitality from other forms of hospitality. To provide the information could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
	All spending on official entertainment is made in accordance with the principles set out in Managing Public Money.

Departmental Pensions

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department is taking to advise staff of pension options available to them in relation to added years or additional voluntary contributions.

Patrick McFadden: Members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme receive an annual benefit statement showing the pension built up to date, and also a projection of their pension on retirement if they continue in service to scheme pension age. The benefit statement prompts the member to consider boosting their pension and provides details of the civil service pensions website where staff can obtain further information, including options for making additional voluntary contributions and a calculator to work out costs for added pension (previously added years).
	New entrants are informed of pension options in the employment offer and are provided with a pension information pack.
	Cabinet Office provides leaflets that explain added pension and additional voluntary contributions for members. The information is also available in scheme booklets. These are available on the Civil Service Pensions website or on request from the member's pensions administrator.
	The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) uses an internal HR Intranet to communicate with staff on a range of issues. This includes comprehensive information on how staff can boost their pension through added pension and additional voluntary contributions (AVCs).

Departmental Plants

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department has spent on flowers in each of the last three years.

Patrick McFadden: Over the last three financial years, this Department has spent the following on foliage via our contracted supplier, Plantforce, on its HQ Estate. It includes spend at Kingsgate House which is part occupied by DIUS.
	
		
			   Spend on foliage () 
			 2006-07 23,865 
			 2007-08 24,467 
			 2008-09 (to date) 24,155 
		
	
	This spend includes all internal plant displays and maintenance, exterior maintenance and purchase of Christmas trees and Remembrance Day wreaths and flowers.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the expenditure his Department will incur on UK Trade and Investment in each financial year from 2009-10 to 2014-15.

Gareth Thomas: UK Trade  Investment is a joint department of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), working also in close partnership with the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
	UK Trade  Investment has three main funding streams. UKTI Programme for front line delivery, BERR administration, which is mainly for staff based in the UK, and FCO programme and administration, which pays for the operation of the overseas network.
	UKTI's budgets are agreed as part of the spending review process with HM Treasury. The current spending review period covers the years 2008-09 to 2010-11. Our estimate of expenditure for 2009-10 and 2010-11 is:
	
		
			   million 
			   2009-10  2010-11 
			 UKTI Programme 91.4 91.2 
			 BERR Admin 52.7 52.1 
			 FCO Resource 166.4 165.4 
			 Total 310.5 308.7 
		
	
	These figures are subject to UKTI's annual corporate planning and annual parliamentary approval. We have not been allocated any formal budgets beyond this time frame.

Departmental Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 462-3W, on redundancy, what estimate has he made of the annual payroll savings accruing to his Department as a result of staff exit schemes in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07,  (c) 2007-08 and  (d) 2008-09 excluding the cost of severance packages; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent figures for 2009-10.

Patrick McFadden: The estimate(1) of the annual payroll savings resulting from staff exit schemes in each of the following financial years are:
	
		
			million 
			 2005-06 5.5 
			 2006-07 6.4 
			 2007-08 6.4 
			 2008-09 (YTD) 0.7 
		
	
	With respect to an estimate for the year 2009-10, this will be dependant on the results of BERR's annual business planning process.
	(1) This estimate is based on median base pay at 2008 pay levels and represents the full year effect of any exits.

Economic Situation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent discussions his Department has had with outside organisations to discuss policy on reducing the effect of the recession on matters within his Department's responsibility.

Patrick McFadden: As one would expect, the Department has regular engagements with outside organisations including relevant Government Departments on a range of issues relating to the economy.

Economic Situation: Pharmaceuticals

Andrew Smith: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make an assessment of the effect of the recession on the financial ability of pharmaceutical companies to undertake pre-market research and development work.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	There are no plans to undertake an assessment. The Government recognise that in the current economic climate the bio-pharmaceutical industry is facing challenges. The Prime Minister held a summit with global leaders from the industry on 27 January 2009 to discuss the main issues facing the industry in the United Kingdom. He reinforced the message that the Government are committed to working with the industry to ensure that the UK maintains its position as a world leader in this sector, and to this end, he announced the creation of an Office for Life Sciences, to be led by Lord Drayson, the Science and Innovation Minister. The Office will be tasked with undertaking work in the short-term to address some of the issues facing the industry, and to develop a longer-term life sciences industrial strategy.

Environment Protection

David Kidney: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the international competitiveness of the UK's environmental industries.

Gareth Thomas: According to data from a forthcoming, independent report by Innovas, commissioned by BERR, the global market value of the Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services (LCEGS) sector is 3,046 billion, the UK (LCEGS) market (combined home market and export) accounts for 3.5 per cent. of this at 107 billion. UK exports of (LCEGS) are currently at only 10.5 billion or just around 10 per cent. of the UK market value, and there is a real opportunity for the UK to increase its global market share.
	The UK market is well positioned to develop and gain comparative advantage in key areas of the environmental supply chain, such as Water and Wastewater Treatment, through exporting to developing nations looking to upgrade their current infrastructure.
	Analysis shows that there are significant opportunities for the UK to export its goods and services across all areas of the (LCEGS) sector.
	An analysis of the competitive advantages of the UK environmental goods and services (EGS) industry is set out in the UKTI publication entitled The UKa world leader in environmental solutions (URN 08/558). Examples of the advantages differentiating the UK from our main competitors in the international EGS sector include leading the way in environmental improvements through progress in the waste management and water sectors, setting standards in professional services such as world class environmental consultancies, and investing in innovative approaches.

EU Internal Trade

William Cash: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions the Secretary of State has had with his EU counterparts on  (a) the application of the EU Posted Workers Directive in respect of the rulings of the European Court of Justice on cases C-438/05, C-346/06 and C-319/06 and  (b) proposals for new legislation related to EU Directive 96/71/EC and Article 49 of the EC Treaty.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 9 February 2009
	My noble Friend, the Secretary of State is in regular discussions with his EU counterparts on a range of issues.

Fines

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what administrative financial penalties may be levied by his Department and its agencies.

Ian Pearson: The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 provides for penalties to be levied on an employer for non-compliance with an enforcement notice which requires them to pay the NMW and repay arrears to workers who have been underpaid the NMW. The enforcement is carried out by HM Revenue and Customs and by DEFRA in relation to the agricultural minimum wage. The Employment Act 2008 includes provisions to strengthen the enforcement regime of the NMW. These provisions, which will come into force on 6 April 2009, will replace the current enforcement and penalty notices with a single notice of underpayment imposing automatic penalties of between 100 and up to 5,000 for employers for non-compliance with the requirement to pay workers the NMW.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service and Companies House agencies and they will respond to you directly.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 23 February 2009:
	I am responding on behalf of Companies House to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question, reference 253604, to the Minister of State for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
	Since 1992 Companies House has levied penalties on companies registered that file their accounts late.
	From 1 October 2009, the Companies Act 2006 introduces a new penalty of 200 where a company amends its articles of association and fails to send a copy of the amended articles to Companies House within 15 days. The penalty will only be triggered if a company receives notice from the Registrar requiring it to deliver a copy of its amended articles and it does not comply within 28 days.
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 23 February 2009:
	I refer to your question (2008/858), to ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what administrative financial penalties may be levied by his Department and its agencies.
	I have been asked to reply for The Insolvency Service, which is an executive agency of that department.
	I can confirm that we levy no such penalties.

Internet: Security

Margaret Moran: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many companies that produce internet filtering products have applied to the British Standards Institute for certification of their products.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	BSI Group consists of three divisions: BSI British Standards, BSI Management Systems and BSI Product Services. It is the Management Systems division that provides independent third-party certification of management systems. These activities are conducted on a purely commercial basis and are outside of the scope of the relationship with the UK Government. As such we are unable to comment on private certification agreements. Queries of this nature should be directed to the certification body.
	The Government have a relationship with the British Standards division as its designated national standards body and in that capacity, fulfils the UK Government's international obligations in the field of standardisation.

Iran: Overseas Investment

William Hague: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what representation UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) has in Iran; and what services UKTI offers in that country.

Gareth Thomas: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) does not deliver services in support of British companies wishing to trade with or invest in Iran. UKTI shut down its representative office in the British embassy in Tehran in July 2008

Mobile Phones: Contracts

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions the Government has had with Ofcom on a reduction in mobile termination rates.

Patrick McFadden: Ministers and officials have regular meetings with the Office of Communications (Ofcom) on a wide range of issues. Ofcom's progress on regulating mobile termination rates has been discussed on several occasions.

Motor Vehicles: Government Assistance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what steps the Government are taking to support the car industry:
	(2)  what recent steps the Government have taken to ensure confidence in the car market;
	(3)  what recent steps the Government have taken to ensure the availability of credit to businesses to enable the purchase of motor vehicles;
	(4)  what recent steps the Government have taken to ensure job security for those employed by the UK automotive industry;
	(5)  what recent steps the Government have taken to facilitate the sale of UK-manufactured cars abroad.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 26 January 2009
	I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in the House on 27 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 165-67, on the automotive sector.
	In addition, UK Trade and Investment supports the UK automotive sector in overseas markets and will continue to do so. For example, during his recent trip to India, the Business Secretary used his keynote address to the Symposium on International Automotive Technology to promote UK automotive excellence. UKTI senior staff, including our ambassadors, regularly promote UK automotive excellence by hosting high profile events around the overseas launch of UK-manufactured cars.
	In March, UKTI will launch the UK Advanced Engineering Marketing Strategy, to promote the UK as international partner of choice in the automotive, aerospace and engineering sectors. This is in line with other UK marketing strategies, such as those for energy, ICT and life sciences.

Ofcom: Fines

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what arrangements Ofcom makes for payments from organisations it has fined; and within what period of time penalised parties are required to make payment;
	(2)  how many organisations Ofcom has fined in each year since its inception; how much it has imposed in fines in each such year; and how much it has imposed in fines in 2009 to date;
	(3)  what estimate Ofcom has made of the monetary value of fines it expects to  (a) recoup and  (b) remit in the next 12 months;
	(4)  within what period and upon what terms organisations fined by Ofcom are required to make payment.

Patrick McFadden: The matters raised are the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Public Houses

Greg Knight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many sub-post offices now operate, either full or part-time, from the premises of public houses.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Public Houses: Closures

John Leech: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of public house closures.

Gareth Thomas: The Government are taking a range of steps to help businesses through the current economic downturn to boost capital and liquidity in the market. This is across all sectors of the economy. Key measures include the introduction of a new Enterprise Finance Guarantee to support up to 1.3 billion of bank lending, a separate 10 billion guarantee facility to support further working capital bank lending, a 75 million Capital for Enterprise Fund to convert businesses' debt into equity, and 25 million of regional funds. Public houses are able to access the package of help on offer, including a Business Link Health Check, via:
	www.businesslink.gov.uk/realhelp

Public Telephones

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many coin-operated telephone boxes in each parliamentary constituency have been converted to card operation in each of the last 10 years.

Patrick McFadden: This information is not held by the Department. Neither BT nor Ofcom hold these data broken down by constituency of location. The cost of generating the data on this basis would incur disproportionate cost.

Public Telephones

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) coin-operated and  (b) card-operated public telephone boxes in each parliamentary constituency have been removed from operation in each of the last 10 years.

Patrick McFadden: This information is not held by the department. However, after a review by Ofcom, BT consulted with the local authorities on its national rationalisation programme of removing up to 8,700 telephone boxes. That process has now ended and BT has taken steps to remove those telephone boxes that are cash operated or cashless only where there has been no objection from the local authority. These data are not available in each of the last 10 years at constituency level but BT could provide more recent data by geographic area on request subject to their discretion.

Public Telephones

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) coin-operated and  (b) card-operated public telephone boxes there were in each constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Patrick McFadden: This information is not held by the Department. Neither BT nor Ofcom hold this data for each parliamentary constituency in the last 10 years. The cost of generating the data on this basis would incur disproportionate cost.

Regional Development Agencies: Empty Property

Eric Pickles: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much each regional development agency has budgeted to pay in empty property business rates in 2008-09.

Patrick McFadden: The following table shows how much each regional development agency has budgeted to pay business rates on empty properties in 2008-09.
	
		
			  Budgeted business rates on empty properties in 2008-09 
			  RDA  000 
			 AWM 35 
			 EEDA 109 
			 EMDA 24 
			 LDA 164 
			 NWDA 83 
			 ONE 191 
			 SEEDA (1)309 
			 SWERDA 146 
			 YF (2)1,020 
			 (1) An assessment is currently being undertaken on an additional property following its purchase. (2) The economic regeneration of Yorkshire and Humber's main urban centres is a Regional Economic Strategy Priority. To support delivery of this priority, YF has acquired strategic properties and sites. The economic downturn is lengthening the delivery of re-uses and new uses for these sites which impacts on rates and empty rates costs.

Renewable Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps UK Trade and Investment is taking to support the renewable energy industry.

Gareth Thomas: UK Trade  Investment has an ongoing and active programme of support for the UK renewable energy industries, in partnership with UK Renewables. This includes such activities as organising UK groups at overseas trade shows and bringing potential buyers and decision makers to the UK to see our renewables capability first-hand.
	UKTI is implementing the delivery of a UK Energy Excellence Marketing Strategy, to promote the UK as international partner of choice across all the energy industries including renewables. This is a major Government campaign, operating alongside other UK marketing strategies, such as those for ICT and life sciences.
	UKTI is also developing a UK Low-Carbon International Marketing Strategy, which will assist UK suppliers of renewable and other clean energy equipment and services.

Sri Lanka: Arms Trade

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the cash value of defence equipment sales to Sri Lanka was in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Government publish detailed information on export licences issued, refused and revoked, by destination, including the overall value and a summary of the items covered by these licences, in its annual and quarterly reports on Strategic Export Controls.
	The Government's annual reports, published since 1997, and quarterly reports, published since 2004, are available from the Libraries of the House and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website at
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/publications/publications/annual-reports/export-controlsl.
	The Government do not approve any defence related exports if it judges that there is a clear risk that they will be used in contravention of the Consolidated Criteria, including for external aggression or internal repression. We routinely refuse export licences where we believe there is a risk of this, and have refused a number of licences to Sri Lanka on this basis.

Telecommunications: Hearing Impaired

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will direct Ofcom to take steps to ensure that deaf and hard-of-hearing people have  (a) equal access to mobile and internet telecommunication services and  (b) access to modernised relay services.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 9 February 2009
	 Within its existing remit in this area, Ofcom has stated that it would like to see the introduction of additional relay services and have commissioned a study into the social and economic benefits of such services. It is important that the approach reflects current and emerging technology and this study is examining the gap between services that are currently available (including the existing relay service, SMS, instant messaging and email) and potential services. The study will consider the existing relay service Text direct (also known as Type Talk which allows two way telephone conversations between deaf or speech impaired people), captioned telephony (where the relay assistant re-voices one end of the call into captions using speech recognition technology), Video relay (which enables sign language users to communicate with hearing people in real time, using a sign language interpreter based remotely) and internet protocol access to text relay (which would enable people to have fixed and mobile access to text relay via a PC with an internet connection, removing the need for specialist terminal equipment).
	The European legislation that establishes the objectives of member state regulation in this area is currently being reviewed. The Government have supported efforts to strengthen the obligations on member states in this area to achieve results that are practical use to disabled users. Our response to the public consultation on the review of the EU legislation noted
	There was universal recognition that disabled users should not be excluded from being able to enjoy the benefits of a modern telecommunications sector where economic technical solutions existed.

Temporary Loans Fund

Tony Baldry: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform by what means businesses in Banbury constituency may access the Temporary Loans Fund.

Patrick McFadden: The South East Development Agency has established a Loan Fund for companies in the south-east. The Agency will provide up to 3 million in transition loan funds, available through the Bridging Mezzanine Debt Fund Managed by Finance South East Ltd. The fund will help high-growth businesses having difficulty obtaining finance from the commercial sector. Unsecured loans of up to 150,000 will be available in the form of commercial loans to bridge the gap between the amount the banks are able to offer businesses and the amount these businesses need to survive and grow. Companies in the south-east can apply for funds by contacting Finance South East Ltd. through their website:
	www.financesoutheast.com

Trade Promotion

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many overseas visits have been made by each of the business ambassadors since 3 October 2008; and what the cost of  (a) flights,  (b) accommodation,  (c) gifts and  (d) other expenses was for each such visit.

Gareth Thomas: The following table sets out the overseas visits undertaken by business ambassadors since 3 October 2008, as at 6 February 2009, and also details related direct costs:
	
		
			  Name  Visit made  Flight cost ()  Accommodation costs ()  Gifts ()  Other expenses ()  Note/() 
			 Sir John Bond New York (November 2008). Meeting with Consul-General and UKTI Trade Team 0 0 0 0 All costs met by business ambassador 
			
			 Paul Skinner Australia (November 2008). Speeches in Melbourne and Sydney 0 0 0 0 All costs met by business ambassador 
			
			 Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham Dubai (November 2008). Led largest UK trade mission ever to the Gulf. Over 200 UK companies involved. 3,601.24 735.26 0 (1)646.53 Total: 4,983.03 
			
			 Dick Olver Oman (January 2009). Meeting/lunch with HMA and Young President's Organisation of Oman 0 0 0 0 All costs met by business ambassador 
			
			 Dick Olver Abu Dhabi (January 2009). Meeting/lunch with HMA and Abu Dhabi UK business leaders 0 0 0 0 All costs met by business ambassador 
			
			 Lord Richard Rogers Mexico (February 2009). Meeting with HMA and UKTI representatives. Meeting with Mexican Secretary of Communications and Transport and HMA. Meeting with Coordinator of the infrastructure and Tourism Cabinet, Office of the President of Mexico and HMA 0 0 0 0 All costs met by business ambassador 
			 (1) Car hire

Trade Promotion

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the cost of running the business ambassadors' secretariat within UK Trade and Investment has been since 3 October 2008; and what proportion of that cost has been for  (a) secretariat staff salaries and  (b) other expenses.

Gareth Thomas: UKTI has resourced the business ambassador secretariat from within its overall internal resources. The estimated salary cost for the period since 3 October 2008 is approximately 24,000; this includes set-up costs. No other expenses have been incurred.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Biofuels

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the levels of carbon dioxide emissions resulting from producing electricity from used cooking oil as compared to (a) fossil fuels and (b) other biofuels.

Joan Ruddock: I have been asked to reply.
	I am not aware of any research that is focused specifically on deriving the levels of carbon emissions from producing electricity from used cooking oil specifically. However as part of our ongoing review of our 'National Calculation Methodologies', building performance assessment tools the standard assessment procedure for dwellings and the simplified buildings energy method for non-dwellings, Government are working with OFTEC (Oil Firing Technical Association) to establish the carbon emission factors for the bio-liquids that are being developed as a low carbon alternative for kerosene. While it is expected that these liquids, which are likely to include some used cooking oil as well as other liquids produced from biomass, will mainly be used in plant to produce space heating and hot water they could equally be used to generate electricity. Nonetheless, through this work we will be able to estimate the carbon impact of using such bio-liquids compared with other fuels.

Biofuels

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department has conducted into the generation of hydrogen from biomass.

Mike O'Brien: None. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is responsible for funding research through the UK Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board.

British Energy: EDF Energy

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change by what date he expects EDF's purchase of British Energy to be completed.

Mike O'Brien: EDF's offer for British Energy was declared unconditional on 5 January, 2009.

Christmas

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been spent on  (a) departmental Christmas parties and  (b) staff entertainment since the formation of his Department.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has made no expenditure on Christmas parties. The only expenditure on staff entertainment (that is, for a celebration, or where there is no clear and justifiable reason for expenditure) since the Department's formation on 3 October 2008 has been 1,733 on a cross-government event on 3 December 2008 as a celebration to mark the passing of the Climate Change and Energy Acts.

Climate Change

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of its capacity to adapt to climate change; and what plans he has to publish a climate change adaptation strategy.

Joan Ruddock: In July 2008, the cross-Government adapting to climate change programme published adapting to climate change in Englanda framework for action which set out the Government's strategy for adaptation and the work-plan for the cross-Government programme for the next three years. This programme increases Government's capacity to adapt by ensuring a coordinated approach across all Departments and the public sector, and overall responsibility for it rests with DEFRA. Information about the programme and its work can be found at:
	www.defra.gov/adaptation
	This includes taking forward work flowing from the Climate Change Actincluding a national climate change risk assessment and cost benefit analysis which will inform future priorities for the statutory adaptation programme that will then begin in 2012.
	The Government's longer term strategy on adapting to a changing climate will be set out in this statutory national adaptation programme, which will be reviewed and updated on a five year rolling basis in response to updated risk assessments, and report to Parliament.
	In addition, DECC has established governance structures to ensure that there is proper read-across from DEFRA's adaptation strategy both into the policy areas for which DECC has responsibility, and into its corporate decision-making process.

Climate Change: Arctic

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department has conducted into the scale of polar icepack melting in the Northwest Passage.

Joan Ruddock: My Department funds the Met Office Hadley Centre (MOHC), through its Integrated Climate Programme with joint funding from the MOD and DEFRA, to monitor, understand and predict climate change; this research includes incorporating sea ice into global climate models to ensure best possible predictions on melting of Arctic sea ice. We also liaise with other research groups in the U.K. and internationally on this topic.
	The Northwest Passage temporarily became fully open and navigable in summer 2007, for first time in recorded history, due to the record low extent (September average area: 4.28 million sq km) of Arctic sea ice melt. The same situation occurred in summer 2008, when the sea ice area (4.67 million sq km) was at its second lowest on record. Satellite monitoring data since 1979, available from the US National Snow and ice Data Centre (NSIDC) shows there has been a long-term decline in the extent of summer Arctic sea ice and that this decline has accelerated over the last decade; the long-term downward trend of around 10 per cent. per decade can be linked to human emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols. It is not yet clear if the much larger summer ice melt in the last two years is an acceleration of this long term trend or a short term variation around it. Recent analysis by the MOHC suggests that changes as large as the observed record low in 2007 can indeed result from natural year-to-year variability around the longer term downward trend; this provides confidence in the ability of the MOHC's climate model to simulate changes in the area of Arctic sea ice and its continuing decline. However, it is evident that climate models show a wide range of future predicted rates of sea ice decline. Whilst the IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report suggested the Arctic would be largely free of summer ice by 2100, many more recent models predict this will happen much soonerby the middle of this century or even earlier; several experts suggest there may possibly be no summer sea ice by the mid 2010s.
	Satellite and other records also show a long-term decline in the average thickness and age of Arctic sea ice over recent decades. For example, scientists from University College London recently reported that the thickness of the ice was significantly lower (by an average of 10 per cent.) during the winter of 2007-08 than during the previous five winters, indicating that the total volume of sea ice has decreased significantly. Though based only on satellite data (which are not ideal for measuring sea ice thickness), this result confirms previous evidence of decreasing sea ice thickness over the past three decades from US and UK submarine sonar measurements.
	The retreat of Arctic sea ice has geo-political implications, with the Northwest Passage becoming increasingly ice free and fully open to shipping. There are other important implications; by reducing the reflectivity (albedo) of the Earth's surface, it increases the amount of solar radiation that the surface absorbs, thereby accelerating warming. Temperatures have already risen almost twice as quickly in the Arctic as in the rest of the world over the past 100 years. Sea ice retreat also has significant impacts on Arctic ecosystems, as many organisms (including certain species of fish) depend on its presence for survival. DECC is continuing to seek updated assessments of Arctic sea ice conditions and impacts from UK and international experts.

Climate Change: EU Presidency

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent meetings Ministers and officials from his Department have had with their Czech counterparts to discuss the energy and climate change priorities of the Czech Presidency of the European Union.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met Martin Bursik, the Czech Environment Minister, on 7 November 2008 to discuss the 2020 Energy and Climate Package. He also plans to meet the Czech ambassador in London later this month to discuss the energy and climate change priorities of the Czech presidency.
	On 18 December 2008 DECC officials visited Prague for meetings with officials from the Environment Ministry and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to discuss preparations and priorities for the Czech presidency. DECC officials also attended the first informal workshop on climate change of the Czech presidency in Prague on 18-20 January, which outlined the priorities of the Czech presidency.
	The UK strongly supports the Czech presidency's focus on taking forward the Commission's Second Strategic Energy Review, in particular on energy security and on preparing the EU for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Coal: Pollution Control

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make it his policy to allocate funds to the development of clean coal technology in order to reduce levels of coal imports; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 11 February 2009
	The Government's policy on clean coal technologies was set out in the Strategy for Developing Carbon Abatement Technologies for Fossil Fuel Use in 2005 and more recently in the Energy White Paper, 2007. Clean coal technologies include: higher efficiency conversion processes; fuel switching to lower carbon alternative such as biomass co-firing; and C02 capture and storage (CCS). Some of these approaches will result in increased efficiency of the operation of the generation plant, but some such as CCS will require additional energy to operate.
	The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) supports demonstration of carbon abatement technologies through the Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF). To date DECC has committed 2.2 million to an oxy-fuel combustion CCS project.
	In addition the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) support R  D on clean coal technologies via the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and the research councils. The TSB has identified carbon abatement technologies as a priority area in its energy generation and supply strategy and currently supports around 11 projects with a total value of around  13.4 million.
	The research councils also support a wide range of underpinning research and training in carbon abatement technologies through their research councils' energy programme and through their individual programmes. In the last five years some 25 projects covering CCS totalling over 23 million have been funded.
	Sourcing of coal is a matter for generators and other coal users, but the Government believe that making the best use of UK energy resources, including coal reserves, contributes to our security of supply goals, and that this reflects a value in maintaining access to economically viable reserves of coal.

Coal: Prices

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effects of increases in energy prices on levels of fuel poverty among pensioners who use coal as their main source of domestic heating.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 9 February 2009
	The Department does not carry out separate analysis to quantify the effect of rising energy prices on coal users. The total number of fuel poor households in England that rely on coal and other solid fuels as their primary source for central heating fell from 106,000 to 101,000 households between 2005 and 2006, however, the actual proportion of households reliant on solid fuels that were fuel poor rose slightly, from 45 per cent. in 2005 to around 46 per cent. in 2006.

Departmental Cost Effectiveness

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what cost savings his Department has made since its creation.

Mike O'Brien: As for all Departments, the Department for Energy and Climate Change will be required by HM Treasury under the terms of its Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 settlement to deliver 5 per cent. per annum real savings in 2009-10 and 2010-11 compared to the baseline budget set for 2008-09. The administration budget for 2008-09 will be set in the upcoming spring supplementary estimate.

Departmental Data Protection

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what percentage of the IT systems in his Department is fully accredited to the Government's security standards.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was formed on 3 October 2008, bringing together policy responsibility for energy (formerly with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)) and climate change (formerly with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)). The Department does not at present have its own IT systems, but instead makes use of BERR's and Defra's existing IT systems. Given that, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column 322W and by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Employment Relations and Postal Affairs for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column 423W.

Departmental E-mail

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people have a decc.gsi.gov.uk email account.

Mike O'Brien: 923 people have @decc.gsi.gov.uk e-mail accounts as of 5 February 2009.

Departmental ICT

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what IT projects  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies are undertaking; what his most recent estimate of the total cost of each project is; and what the projected completion date of each is.

Mike O'Brien: The IT projects which are being undertaken within DECC are:
	North Sea Licensing  establishing an offshore register equivalent to the onshore Land Registry. Cost is 250-300,000 and will be finished in summer 2009.
	Electricity Portal for electricity consents. Cost approximately 350,000 and will be live by summer 2009.
	Environmental emissions monitoring database, as joint project with oil industry, to capture data and report for Kyoto. The cost is expected to be 250,000 and will be complete by spring 2010.
	DECC has no executive agencies.

Departmental Pay

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make it his policy that temporary and permanent employees of his Department employed at the same grade receive the same hourly rate of pay.

Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1431W.

Departmental Plants

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent on  (a) pot plants and  (b) flowers since it was established.

Mike O'Brien: There is no central record of this so it is not possible to answer this question without incurring disproportionate costs.

Departmental Public Relations

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the cost has been of his Department's contracts with public relations consultancies since it was established.

Mike O'Brien: According to the most recent records, DECC has spent 23,966.93 on contracts with public relations consultancies since its establishment on 3 October 2009.

Departmental Publications

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department publishes a staff magazine.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has not published a staff magazine.

Departmental Responsibilities

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when his Department will undertake a capability review.

Mike O'Brien: As a newly formed Department, the first action in the capability review process for DECC will be to undertake a baseline assessment. DECC will discuss when might be appropriate to conduct this baseline assessment with the Capability Reviews Team in Cabinet Office.

District Heating

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what work his Department has undertaken on heat markets and district heating; and what further work is planned.

Mike O'Brien: Heat markets and district heating were both considered in the Heat Call for Evidence published in January 2008
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file43609.pdf
	127 organisations and individuals responded to the Call for Evidence. These responses have been analysed and have informed further policy development in this area. The Government are now consulting on their heat and energy saving strategy, which was published on 12 February and which contains further proposals on heat markets and district heating
	http://hes.decc.gov.uk/

Electricity Generation

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department has conducted into highly distributed power systems.

Mike O'Brien: Research into distributed power systems has been carried out by the DECC funded Centre for Sustainable Electricity and Distributed Generation and the Electricity Networks Strategy Group. Copies of final reports can be found on their respective websites:
	www.sedg.ac.uk
	and
	www.ensg.gov.uk

Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what work the  (a) Energy Markets Unit,  (b) Energy Development Unit,  (c) Renewable Energy and Innovation Unit and  (d) Cleaner Fossil Fuels Unit (i) has undertaken and (ii) plans to undertake.

Mike O'Brien: These teamsformerly as part of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and now in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)contribute to delivering the Government's policy goals of reliable supplies of energy, lower carbon emissions, competitive energy prices, fewer people in fuel poverty and effective management of the coal health and nuclear liabilities from the past.
	The teams have been subject to some restructuring as part of the creation of DECC. The detail of their forward work plans is subject to the Department's current business planning for future years and to the further development of DECC's overarching strategy to address energy and climate change challenges.

Energy Strategy Unit

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what work the Energy Strategy and International  (a) 1 and  (b) 2 Unit has undertaken; and what further work is planned for each.

Mike O'Brien: These teamsformerly as part of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and now in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)contribute to delivering the Government's policy goals of reliable supplies of energy, lower carbon emissions and competitive energy prices.
	The teams have been subject to some restructuring as part of the creation of DECC. The detail of their forward work plans is subject to the Department's current business planning for future years and to the further development of DECC's overarching strategy to address energy and climate change challenges.

Energy Supply

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the number of households in each  (a) Government region,  (b) local authority area and  (c) Parliamentary constituency who have not switched their electricity supplier since taking up residence in their property in each of the last three years.

Mike O'Brien: DECC holds information on customer switching relating to the total number of households which have switched supplier in each PES (public electricity supplier) area since the electricity market was deregulated.
	Data on the total number of domestic electricity consumers who have switched supplier are available in section 2 of Quarterly Energy Prices, the latest edition of which was published in December 2008 and is available online at
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file49203.pdf.
	Table 2.4.1 on page 23 shows the percentage of consumers who have switched supplier in each region, split by payment method.
	However, the Department holds no information on customer switching relating to the length of residence in a property, and information is not available by Government region, local authority area or parliamentary constituency.

Energy: Finance

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the availability of debt finance for investment in energy infrastructure projects.

Mike O'Brien: Large energy companies continue to be able to access both bond and commercial paper markets for investment purposes, with several utilities launching successful debt issues in recent months. The cost of new debt in relation to the risk-free rate has risen relative to the pre-credit crunch situation, but the risk-free rate itself has fallen in recent months. The Government and Ofgem continue to monitor levels of energy investment closely.
	Smaller energy firms have found debt financing harder to come by due to the financial crisis, in common with firms in other sectors of the economy. However, many of these firms will be eligible for the Government's recently-announced schemes to restore the flow of credit to businesses (Working Capital Scheme, Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme).

Energy: Hydrogen

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department has conducted into new hydrogen storage materials.

Mike O'Brien: None. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is responsible for funding research through the UK Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board.

Energy: Meters

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress his Department has made 
	(1)  in co-ordinating arrangements to oversee the roll-out of smart meters;
	(2)  in developing a model for the roll-out of smart meters;
	(3)  in determining a standard specification for smart meters.

Mike O'Brien: The Government announced on 28 October last year that we will mandate the provision of smart meters to all households. We are currently considering a range of policy issues which need to be developed further in preparation for the roll out of smart meters, including the delivery model, meter functionality and programme management. We will make further announcements on such matters when we are able to do so.

Energy: Meters

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent estimate is of the number of smart meters installed in domestic properties.

Mike O'Brien: Whilst definitions of smart meters vary, the Department's estimate is that less than one per cent. of meters installed in domestic properties could be described as smart meters.

Energy: Prices

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to increase liquidity in wholesale gas and electricity markets.

Mike O'Brien: The Government aim to maintain and where necessary to improve regulatory conditions to ensure effective wholesale energy markets, in the UK and the EU, with sufficient liquidity to send effective price signals to market participants. We welcome Ofgem's current work on wholesale market liquidity, and look forward to its findings.

Energy: Prices

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent estimate is of the effect of changes in domestic energy prices in the last 12 months on the number of people in fuel poverty.

Mike O'Brien: The most recent fuel poverty estimates are available for 2006 in the Sixth Annual Progress report on the Fuel Poverty Strategy:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file48036.pdf
	These show that in the UK, there were around 3.5 million households living in fuel poverty in 2006 and around 2.4 million in England. The statistical annex to this report gives indicative projections for fuel poverty in England. These show an estimated further 1.2 million households moving into fuel poverty between 2006 and 2008, largely due to fuel price increases. However, these estimates were based on information known at the time and therefore have clearly been overtaken by a more complex price increase and so should not be regarded as representing the Government's view about what the current figures are.

Fuel Cells

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department has conducted into enzymatic fuel cells.

Mike O'Brien: None. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is responsible for funding research through the UK Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board.

Fuel Cells

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department has conducted into microbial fuel cells.

Mike O'Brien: None. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is responsible for funding research through the UK Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board.

Fuel Cells

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department has conducted into fuel cell integrity.

Mike O'Brien: None. The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills is responsible for funding research through the UK Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board.

Fuel Poverty

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his most recent assessment is of the number of people in fuel poverty in  (a) St Albans constituency,  (b) Hertfordshire and  (c) England and Wales.

Joan Ruddock: The most recently available sub-regional split of fuel poverty relates to 2003, and shows that there were around 1,900 fuel-poor households in the St. Albans constituency and around 22,200 fuel-poor households in Hertfordshire.
	More recent figures are available for England and Wales. These show that in 2006, there were around 2.7 million fuel-poor households in England and Wales.
	Fuel poverty is not measured at an individual level.

Housing: Insulation

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been spent insulating the homes of pensioners in each of the last 10 years.

Joan Ruddock: h olding answer 26 January 2009
	 : Figures for the amounts spent on insulating pensioners' homes are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Spend on insulation for the over 60s under the  warm f ront  scheme in England and the h ome  e nergy  e fficiency  s cheme (HEES) in Wales 
			   Number of  h ouseholds assisted  Spend  (  million ) 
			  Warm Front   
			 2005-2006 21,291 8.6 
			 2006-2007 59,104 23.9 
			 2007-2008 57,142 23.0 
			 2008-2009 38,416 15.9 
			
			  HEES(Wales)   
			 2005-2006 n/a n/a 
			 2006-2007 4,695 1.8 
			 2007-2008 7,541 3.1 
			 2008-2009 3,360 1.4 
			 n/a = No figures available 
		
	
	The supplier obligation, which began in 2002, led to an estimated investment of almost 2 billion between 2002 and 2008 in household energy efficiency measures. We estimate that energy suppliers invested around 800 million of this in a priority group of vulnerable and low-income households, including pensioners. Under the current three year phase of the obligation to 2011, known as the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), we estimate suppliers alone will need to invest over 3.2 billion in household energy efficiency measures, 1.8 billion of which will be delivered to the priority group. However, Government have not made specific estimates for what proportion of the priority group spend by suppliers might be attributed to pensioners.

Industrial Injuries: Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent on medical testing of miners under the coal health compensation scheme since the introduction of the scheme; and how much has been paid to each provider of such tests in that period.

Mike O'Brien: The total medical costs for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is 404.64 million; and for Vibration White Finger is 34.95 million as at December 2008. In the time available we are unable to breakdown these figures by provider.

International Renewable Energy Agency

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the UK's contribution to the International Renewable Energy Agency.

Mike O'Brien: We have been in close contact with the German government on the development of IRENA. We participated in the preparatory meetings last year and at both the Founding Conference on 26 January and the first session of the Preparatory Commission of IRENA on 27 January.
	We have been talking to Germany about:
	(i) how IRENA can make a stronger contribution to the roll-out and deployment of renewables;
	(ii) how we can broaden the membership to include key Asia-Pacific countries (e.g. Canada, China, Japan, India and the US) to ensure that the Agency has true global reach; and
	(iii) how we can make sure that IRENA works closely with, and avoids overlap and duplication with, other international bodies and organisations, such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), of which the UK is already a member.
	We will continue to participate in the further preparatory meetings this year with a view to joining shortly. We plan to reach a final decision on UK membership of IRENA once we have satisfactorily concluded our discussions with the German government.
	IRENA is expected to start full operations in 2010.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what consideration his Department gave to extending the availability of Low Carbon Buildings Programme grants to commercial and public sector applicants to mid-2010.

Mike O'Brien: The Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 2 has been open since January 2007 and has committed 27 million to public sector and not for profit organisations' projects. The programme is due to close to new applications in June 2009 but a significant amount of work will be ongoing for installers through to mid 2010. We would like to see as many eligible organisations such as public sector organisations making maximum use of the grants programme up to June 2009.
	We are currently considering the transition from grant funding and other incentives to the proposed small scale electricity feed in tariff and renewable heat incentive support mechanisms.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much of the 50 million allocated to the Low Carbon Buildings Programme phase 2 has been committed to projects.

Mike O'Brien: To date, 27.1million has been allocated to projects under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme Phase 2.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect on the renewables sector of the planned closure of phase 2 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in June 2009.

Mike O'Brien: The Low Carbon Buildings programme Phase 2 has been open since January 2007 and has so far committed over 27 million to 1,433 projects. Although the money will be committed up to June 2009 a significant amount of work will be completed for the period through to mid 2010. We would like to see framework suppliers and eligible organisations making maximum use of the grants programme up to June 2009. We are considering the next steps post June 2009.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to encourage community groups to install low-carbon energy and energy efficiency technologies in their buildings after the end of phase two of the Low Carbon Buildings programme; what steps he is taking to assist community groups to use such technologies; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 9 February 2009
	To date, we have committed 576,158 to 32 community groups under phase 2 of the Low Carbon Buildings programme.
	We would like eligible organisations to make maximum use of the grants programme up to June 2009. Although the money will be committed up to June 2009 a significant amount of work will be completed for the period through to mid 2010.
	We are currently considering the options open to us to ensure that as many of these organisations can benefit from installing their own energy generating equipment.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many grant applications the low carbon buildings programme has received from households in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire since the programme was established.

Mike O'Brien: To date, household applications received by the Low Carbon Buildings programme in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire were as follows:
	
		
			  Hemel Hempstead 
			  Technology  Householder grant applications received 
			 Solar photovoltaic 4 
			 Solar thermal hot water 8 
			 Wind turbine 3 
			 Total 15 
		
	
	
		
			  Hertfordshire 
			  Technology  Householder grant applications received 
			 Air source heat pump 1 
			 Ground source heat pump 7 
			 Solar photovoltaic 36 
			 Solar thermal hot water 103 
			 Wind turbine 33 
			 Wood fuelled boiler system 8 
			 Total 188

Members: Correspondence

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he will reply to the hon. Member for Weston-Super-Mare's letters of 20 October 2008, 18 November 2008 and 5 January 2009 on behalf of his constituent, Ms Janette Dalbeith.

Mike O'Brien: I replied to the hon. Member on 29 January and apologise for the delay, which was due to departmental reorganisation.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when the Minister of State plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 2 December 2008 about an application for a Government grant.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 9 February 2009
	I replied to the hon. Member on 23 January and apologise for the delay.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when the Minister of State plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 4 November 2008 on Flogas and the price of liquefied petroleum gas.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 9 February 2009
	I am told that the Department has no record of receiving the letter from the hon. Member. Officials have requested a copy of the letter and I will respond in due course.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford to the Prime Minister of 17 November 2008 on his constituent Mr T Woodcraft of Chelmer Village, Chelmsford, transferred to his Department for a response on 27 November 2008.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 12 February 2009
	 I replied to the hon. Member on 12 February. I apologise for the delay, which was due to departmental reorganisation.

Members: Correspondence

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State plans to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Cleethorpes regarding  (a) Mr Daniel Stewart, dated 30 October 2008 and  (b) Mr Stephen Turner, dated 6 November 2008.

Joan Ruddock: I responded to my hon. Friend the member for Cleethorpes, letter on behalf of Mr. D. Stewart on 16 February and apologise for the delay, which was due to departmental reorganisation.
	My hon. Friend's letter on behalf of Mr. S. Turner has been transferred to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department will respond shortly.

Natural Gas: Prices

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what data his Department  (a) collects and  (b) compiles on (i) spot and (ii) future wholesale gas prices.

Mike O'Brien: DECC collects and compiles data on wholesale gas spot and forward prices, as well as other relevant price indicators, from a range of sources, including proprietary information providers, media, and organisations in the sector for internal analysis. These data include the UK system average price and prices for gas for the day-ahead, working days next week, monthly, quarterly, half yearly and yearly. Similar data for trading hubs in Belgium, the Netherlands and the US are also collected.
	DECC produces assumptions for future trends in fossil fuel wholesale prices (including gas) up to 2030 which are used for modelling and other analytical work. This information is available on the following website:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file46071.pdf.

Nuclear Power Stations: Construction

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many  (a) project managers and  (b) administration managers have been recruited to the generic design assessment (GDA) team for new nuclear build; and what the cost has been to date of conducting the nuclear GDA.

Jonathan R Shaw: I have been asked to reply.
	Generic Design Assessment (GDA) of potential new nuclear power stations is being undertaken by both the Nuclear Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and by the Environment Agency. From the start of this work in 2007 up to the end of 2008, the costs recovered from the companies requesting the assessment was 5.84 million for work undertaken by HSE and I am informed by the Environment Agency that their recovered costs for the same period were 1.72 million. Both regulators' costs will continue to be fully recovered for work assessing the two designs which are being taken through the final stages of GDA.
	To help with the management of the GDA project, HSE's Nuclear Directorate employs four staff on project management activities. Three are on contract: two from an external agency, one from the Health and Safety Laboratory, and one was appointed from existing HSE resource. The head of the Environment Agency's GDA team was appointed from within the Agency's existing cadre, and acts as project manager for his team's work. One administration manager has been seconded into the HSE GDA team from another Government Department.

Offenders

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has been formed by bringing together work previously covered by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The final details of staff transferring from these Departments are yet to be confirmed. Given that, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column reference 332W and by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Employment Relations and Postal Services for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on 13 January 2009,  Official Report, column reference 565W.

Official Cars

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what cars are  (a) owned,  (b) leased,  (c) hired and  (d) otherwise regularly used by his Department, broken down by cubic capacity of engine.

Mike O'Brien: DECC does not own, lease, hire or otherwise regularly use any cars, apart from those provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency. Given that, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on 26 January 2009,  Official Report, column 10W about cars provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency.

Plutonium

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the  (a) asset and  (b) liability value of the UK's plutonium holdings.

Mike O'Brien: The UK's plutonium holdings are considered as a zero value asset.

Power Stations: Peterhead

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding the Government has provided for BP's proposed carbon capture and storage power plant in Peterhead, Scotland.

Mike O'Brien: None.

Recycling: Oils

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to encourage the recycling of used cooking oil to produce carbon-neutral electricity.

Mike O'Brien: The Renewables Obligation provides specific support for the use of biodiesel derived from cooking oil in the generation of carbon-neutral electricity. The level of support is dependent on the proportion of cooking oil within the biodiesel.

Renewable Energy

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he plans to have with his US counterpart on renewable energy policy.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State plans to discuss renewable energy, among other issues, when he visits the UK in the coming months. This issue is of particular importance in view of the renewable energy aspects of the President's American recovery and investment plan.

Renewable Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the proposed timetable for the establishment of a financial support mechanism for renewable heat is.

Mike O'Brien: We expect the Renewable Heat Incentive to be in place by April 2011. This will allow the necessary work to take place to consult on the design of the scheme and draft the regulations which will establish the RHI.

Renewable Energy: EC Action

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Southampton, Test (Dr. Whitehead) of 22 January 2009,  Official Report, column 886, on a European supergrid, what recent assessment he has made of the merits of a pan-European supergrid; what estimate he has made of the likely annual cost of such a supergrid; and what assessment he has made of its likely effects on security of supply.

Mike O'Brien: holding reply 4 February 2009
	 DECC officials are currently in discussion with the European Commission and other European countries on proposals for a supergrid linking offshore wind projects in the North Sea. This would be a major, long term but expensive project.
	We are currently putting in place a new regulatory regime to connect to the GB Grid up to 33GW of renewable offshore generation needed in to meet our renewable energy targets. The cost of offshore connections for these projects alone is estimated to be up to around 15 billion - more than twice the value of the onshore grid.
	A cost-benefit analysis DECC has undertaken on the optimal design of offshore transmission systems:
	www.sedg.ac.uk
	shows that the most economic connections for those offshore wind farms are direct connections to the nearest shore involving little extra cable capacity. This was supported by the recent study prepared by National Grid for the Crown Estate, on grid connections for round three offshore wind projects:
	www.thecrownestate.co.uk//newscontent/92-round3-grid-study.htm
	The UK supports further energy market integration by enabling greater cross-border electricity trade, which should also increase security of supply. However, it should be for the market to decide, based on the most economically efficient solutions.

Warm Front Scheme

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what mechanisms are in place to ensure that Warm Front contractors are providing value for money.

Joan Ruddock: The prices for Warm Front measures have been set through a competitive Official Journal of European Union tendering process. Installers in each region provided independent quotations for each installation type-service available on the scheme and the most economically advantageous quotes were selected. Prices are harmonised at a regional level to reflect regional price variations and to ensure fairness.
	In 2007 the Government commissioned an independent audit looking at whether Warm Front prices provided value for money, this is available on the DEFRA website. The report found that Warm Front delivers heating systems at significantly below the wider market rate.
	Warm Front is currently undergoing a new round of installer retendering, to select contractors who will work on the scheme from June 2009. As in the previous tendering exercise, the price offered by applicants will be a key determinate in whether their bid is successful.

Warm Front Scheme: Wansbeck

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many Warm Front scheme grants were awarded to applicants from Wansbeck constituency in each of the last five years.

Joan Ruddock: The following table illustrates the number of households who received Warm Front grants in Wansbeck constituency over the last five years.
	
		
			  Wansbeck constituency  Assisted households 
			 2003-04 1,023 
			 2004-05 714 
			 2005-06 207 
			 2006-07 561 
			 2007-08 414 
			 Total 2,919

TREASURY

Bank Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people in the UK without a bank or building society account, broken down by  (a) age and  (b) sex.

Ian Pearson: The Government are committed to reducing financial exclusion and increasing the number of people who can manage their money by using a bank account.
	The Family Resources Survey data for 2006-07, published in June this year, shows that the number of adults living without access to a bank account fell from 2.8 million in 2002-03 to 2.1 million in 2006-07. The Financial Inclusion Taskforce recently published their third annual report on access to banking. The report contains profiles of the number of people in the UK without access to a bank account, including breakdowns by age and sex. You can find the report on the Taskforce's website:
	http://www.financialinclusion-taskforce.org.uk

Bank Services: Elderly

David Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the needs of older people in the development of new payment methods and banking technology by banks; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Treasury has received recent representation on this issue.
	Decisions relating to the development of new payment methods and banking technologies are commercial ones. However, the Payments Council (the organisation that sets strategy for UK payments) is tasked to ensure that payment systems meet the needs of users, payment service providers and the wider economy.
	The Government recognise that some groups still value certain methods of payments and continues to support customer choice, competition and efficiency in the payments market.

Bank Services: Fraud

Jessica Morden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision the EU Payment Services Directive makes for persons who have been the subject of internet fraud to have access to the  (a) time,  (b) date and  (c) location of money transfer agency money collections.

Ian Pearson: The Payment Services Directive requires payment service providers to provide their customers with information before, during and immediately after a payment transaction. However, there are no provisions requiring the provider to disclose specific information about the recipient in the event of internet fraud.
	The UK implementation of the Directive will bring money remitters under the Financial Ombudsman Service's (FOS) remit. If a customer is not satisfied with the transactional information provided and had complained to the provider without success, he or she could refer the matter to the FOS.

Banks

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the  (a) domestic assets and  (b) foreign assets of (i) the UK banks in which UK Financial Investments has taken a significant stake and (ii) the regulated banking sector are non-performing.

Ian Pearson: UK Financial Investments Limited (UKFI), which is wholly owned by the Government, manages the Government's investments in the recapitalised banks but ownership of the shares of the recapitalised banks still lies with HM Treasury. Neither HM Treasury nor UKFI collect or hold such information relating to non-performance of assets. However, information on non-performing assets is reported by each bank in their annual accounts.

Banks

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who he has appointed as members to the independent review of the corporate performance of the UK banking industry; on what basis he appointed Sir David Walker as Chair of the review; when he expects the review to report; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has appointed Sir David Walker to conduct a review of corporate governance of UK banks.
	The review will examine board management of risk (including the effectiveness of risk and audit committees), incentives to manage risk in bank remuneration policies, the competences needed on bank boards, board practices and structures, and the role played by institutional shareholders.
	As a former regulator, director and banker, Sir David has a strong understanding of the issues of corporate governance, board practices, financial markets and relationships with institutional shareholders.
	The review will report jointly to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury with preliminary conclusions by the autumn and final recommendations by the end of the year.

Banks

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the prospects for the banking industry in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The comprehensive package announced last October was designed to ensure the stability of the financial system and to protect ordinary savers, depositors., businesses and borrowers. The action we took including the recapitalisation scheme prevented the collapse of the banking system.
	On 19 January 2009 the Government announced further measures designed to reinforce the financial system, to increase confidence and capacity to lend, and in turn to support the recovery of the economy. The tripartite authorities are now working on the implementation of these measures and will monitor the impact of these schemes. The Government will publish further details of the asset protection scheme shortly.

Banks: Accountancy

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish his Department's analysis of the 2007 accounts published by banks regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Ian Pearson: As a matter of course, HM Treasury does not comment on individual financial institutions.

Banks: Accountancy

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much in  (a) assets and  (b) liabilities is being held off-balance sheet by each of the banks regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Ian Pearson: Information on off balance sheet assets and liabilities is reported by banks in their annual accounts under international financial reporting standards.

Banks: Finance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much the Government has spent on support for the banking industry in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the monetary value of the Government's holdings in banks.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 13 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 23-25WS, 6 November 2008,  Official Report, column 26WS, and on 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1495-1496.

Banks: Finance

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps UK Financial Investments Ltd. is taking to monitor the use to which the recapitalisation funds provided by the Government to the banking industry are being put.

Ian Pearson: UK Financial Investments Ltd. (UKFI) is actively engaged with the banks in order to monitor and work to secure compliance with the conditions agreed as part of the Government's recapitalisation scheme announced last October.
	More details can be found in the letter dated on 3 November from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which is available in the House of Commons' Library.

Banks: Government Assistance

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Government has spent on  (a) equity,  (b) preference shares,  (c) loans,  (d) guarantees and  (e) other financial support to each bank for which it has provided support.

Ian Pearson: Under the recapitalisation scheme announced on 8 October 2008, the Government have invested 19.97 billion in RBS and 16.96 billion in Lloyds TSB/HBOS. These banks are also eligible to use the Government's Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS), under which up to 250 billion of bank lending will be guaranteed. Participating banks have accessed some 100 billion of funding under the CGS so far. Figures for individual banks are confidential.
	On 19 January, the Government announced a comprehensive package designed to reinforce the stability of the financial system, to increase confidence and capacity to lend, and in turn to support the recovery of the economy. The liabilities taken on will be backed by financial assets and fees will be charged for guarantees, safeguarding the taxpayers' interests. For more details, I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Chancellor on 19 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 483-86.
	As set out in written ministerial statements dated 13 October and 6 November, the Government have made payments totalling 5.4 billion to retail depositors in Bradford and Bingley (B and B) and UK subsidiaries of Icelandic banks covering deposits above Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) limits. These written statements and a Treasury Minute dated 21 October 2008 gave details of the short-term loan facilities provided by the Bank of England to the FSCS to cover their share of payouts to retail depositors in these banks. As set out in the pre-Budget report, the Government are refinancing 21 billion of these Bank of England loans to the FSCS in 2008-09.
	In addition the gross amount outstanding on the Government's loan to Northern Rock is projected to be 12.2 billion at 31 March 2009.

Banks: Pay

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received opposing the payment of bonuses to employees of banks in receipt of funds from the public purse.

Ian Pearson: The Chancellor receives a wide range of representations on issues relating to banks in receipt of public funds.
	As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.

Banks: Regulation

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effect of Government policy and banking practices on lending standards; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Following consultation and legislation, the Government put in place statutory regulation of first charge mortgages in 2004. The Financial Services Authority has published the findings of a review of its rules at:
	http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Library/Communication/PR/2006/096.shtml
	and
	http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Library/Communication/PR/2008/030.shtml
	Other consumer credit business is regulated by the Office of Fair Trading under consumer credit legislation. The regime is strengthened by the 2006 Consumer Credit Act, which has been fully implemented as of October 2008. The Government are committed to review the changes to the framework of consumer protection introduced as a result of this Act after a period of three years.
	As announced in the pre-Budget report, the Government have established a new Lending Panel, which will improve monitoring of lending to households and businesses.

Capital Gains Tax

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue implications of taxing capital gains at the same marginal rates as income tax, with indexation for each financial year from 2009-10 to 2014-15.

Stephen Timms: It would be very difficult to provide a reliable estimate because of the difficulties of assessing the large behavioural responses which would result from a change of this kind.

Capital Investment

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether all of the re-profiled capital expenditure from 2010-11 has been allocated to specific projects in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

Yvette Cooper: The re-profiled capital spending brought forward from 2010-11 to 2008-09 has been allocated to specific projects and Departments are on track to deliver the investments.
	Departments are on track to allocate the re-profile capital spending brought forward from 2010-11 into 2009-10 and in some cases the capital expenditure has already been allocated to specific projects.

Capital Investment: Venture Capital

Mark Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the sums invested in venture capital trusts in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07,  (c) 2007-08 and  (d) 2008-09, to date; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The estimated amount of funds invested in Venture Capital Trusts in each tax-year up to and including 2007-08 is published on the HM Revenue and Customs website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/venture/table8.6.pdf
	The estimates for 2008-09 will be published in September 2009.

Car Allowances: Voluntary Work

Michael Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce tax relief on the travel expenses of pensioners who work as volunteers for charities.

Stephen Timms: There are no plans to introduce such a tax relief which would introduce administrative burdens for charities and volunteers. Many organisations demonstrate good practice by reimbursing their volunteers' travel expenses.

Child Tax Credit: Overpayments

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Tendring in receipt of child tax credit have been asked to repay overpayments.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) code of practice 26 'What happens if we've paid you too much tax credit?' explains the ways the department collect back an overpayment, and is available at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/cop26.pdf

Child Tax Credit: Overpayments

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate his Department has made of the proportion of families in Tendring in receipt of child tax credits currently receiving the incorrect amount.

Stephen Timms: The information is not available in the format requested. Estimates of the number of families with tax credit awards, including information on overpayments and underpayments by constituency, based on final family circumstances and incomes, for the years 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 are available in the HMRC publications 'Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards. Supplement on Payments. Geographical Analysis', for each relevant year. These publications are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm
	End of year adjustments are not incorrect payments: they are a consequence of the flexible system of tax credits that means that families can get extra support when their needs are greatest.

Child Trust Fund

Alan Milburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what average payment has been made by parents into Child Trust Fund accounts in  (a) Darlington constituency,  (b) County Durham,  (c) the North East and  (d) England in each year since the scheme's inception.

Ian Pearson: The Detailed Distributional Analysis, including details of contributions made by parents and others was published on 6 November 2008. These data are only available at Government office region level and can be viewed on the HM Revenue and Customs' website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_trust_funds/dda-oct08.pdf
	Constituency level data, including the number of vouchers issued and parental account opening figures, on child trust fund accounts were published on 6 November 2008 and can be viewed on the HM Revenue and Customs' website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ctf/cons-stats-oct08.pdf

Child Trust Fund: Finance

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of the Child Trust Fund in each financial year from 2009-10 to 2014-15.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 10 November 2008,  Official Report, column 933W.

Child Trust Fund: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children in City of York constituency have received child trust fund payments of  (a) 250 and  (b) 500 at birth.

Ian Pearson: We are unable to supply this information as it would be possible to do so only at a disproportionate cost. However, information on the number of child trust fund vouchers issued and the number of accounts opened in each constituency are published on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ctf/cons-stats-oct08.pdf
	All children eligible for the child trust fund receive a 250 voucher. Children from low income families receive an additional 250 paid directly into their child trust fund account when the family's child tax credit award has been finalised.
	The latest set of figures was published on 6 November 2008.

Contingency Reserve

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what allocations have been made from the contingency reserve for  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Allocations from the DEL Reserve to departments are presented to Parliament through the estimates process.
	The details of changes that were made to departmental budgets for 2008-09 budgets at winter supplementary estimates (November 2008) can be found on the HM Treasury website using the following link:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_pse_winter08_09.htm
	A further update to 2008-09 departmental budgets will be provided at spring supplementary estimate, which will be published later this month. Allocations from the DEL Reserves for 2009-10 will be presented to Parliament through the estimates process during 2009-10. The main estimates for 2009-10 will be published following the Budget.

Debts

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average level of unsecured personal debt per head of population was in the UK in each year since 1979.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell , dated January 2009 :
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question on what the average level of unsecured personal debt per head of population was in the UK in each year since 1979. (245258)
	Statistics for this are available back to 1982 and are shown in the table. The time series in the table below has been derived by linking two different vintages of data together. This is explained in the footnote.
	Currently the UK National Accounts are calculated in accordance with the international guidelines set out in the European System of Accounts 1995 (ESA95). In this framework the personal sector equates to the household sector which is combined with the non-profit institutions serving households sector (NPISH), and it is not possible to separate the two. Examples of institutions included within the NPISH sector are: charities; trade unions; universities; churches and political parties. Data on this basis are available back to 1987.
	
		
			  Table 1 A verage level of unsecured personal debt per head of population in the UK 
			   Personal debt per head of population () 
			 1982 469 
			 1983 552 
			 1984 630 
			 1985 746 
			 1986 837 
			 1987 989 
			 1988 1,176 
			 1989 1,354 
			 1990 1,466 
			 1991 1,478 
			 1992 1,460 
			 1993 1,420 
			 1994 1,491 
			 1995 1,584 
			 1996 1,588 
			 1997 1,781 
			 1998 1,954 
			 1999 2,145 
			 2000 2,360 
			 2001 2,679 
			 2002 3,009 
			 2003 3,156 
			 2004 3,579 
			 2005 3,767 
			 2006 4,036 
			 2007 4,176 
			  Notes: 1. Estimates of household and NPISH unsecured debt are on an ESA95 basis. Similar statistics based on the European System of Accounts 1979 (ESA79) for the personal sector are on a slightly different definitional basis and are available back to 1982. A single series has been obtained by linking the two series together. The series based on ESA79 has been linked onto the series based on ESA95 using the growth rate between 1986 and 1987. 2. Mid year UK resident population estimates have been used to estimate the average unsecured personal debt per head of the population.  Source: United Kingdom National AccountsThe Blue Book 1997 United Kingdom National AccountsThe Blue Book 2008

Debts: Developing Countries

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much  (a) low income and  (b) lower-middle income countries owe the UK.

Ian Pearson: The UK is owed a total of 349 million by low-income countries and 1,254 million by lower-middle income countries, using the World Bank's classification of low and lower-middle income countries(1).
	The UK has cancelled or is due to cancel 100 per cent. of bilateral sovereign claims on all Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) at Completion Point under the HIPC Initiative. To date, 24 out of 41 HIPCs have reached Completion Point, with a further 10 having reached Decision Point. The UK also provides 100 per cent. cancellation of debt service payments between Decision Point and Completion Point and holds in trust any payments received from HIPCs before they become eligible for debt relief.
	(1) The World Bank's classifications are based on gross national income per capita in 2007.

Departmental Buildings

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) display energy certificates and  (b) advisory reports for public buildings issued in respect of each property occupied by (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies.

Angela Eagle: My Department will place in the Library a copy of the display energy certificates and their associated advisory reports in respect of HM Treasury's London and Norwich offices. The Debt Management Office is currently working with their advisers and their Landlords' managing agents towards gathering the required information and will display an energy performance certificate in due course.

Departmental Internet

Mark Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a copy of his Department's website accessibility plan.

Angela Eagle: Information about accessibility is available on our departmental website at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/accessibility_index.htm

Departmental Pay

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's policy is on placing a pay cap on  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers.

Yvette Cooper: The Government's objective for civil service pay are to recruit and retain the necessary levels of staff needed to support service delivery, to be affordable within the overall fiscal environment, to offer value for money and to be consistent with the achievement of the Bank of England's inflation target.
	Annual pay arrangements for special advisers are decided by the Special Advisers' Remuneration Committee, reporting to the Prime Minister, based on the general economic and pay context including pay settlements elsewhere including the senior civil service and wider public sector.

Departmental Sick Leave

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average number of days sick leave per staff member in his Department was in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: This information is published data and can be found on the civil service website at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/sickness.asp

Departmental Sick Leave

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in his Department were recorded as having been on sick leave for over 12 months on 31 December in each of the last five years.

Angela Eagle: In 2004 there were six employees having been on sick leave for over 12 months, and in each of the years 2005, 2006 and 2008 there were under five employees having been on sick leave for over 12 months. In 2007 no employees were reported having been on sick leave for over 12 months.

Departmental Television

Nick Hurd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr. Maude) of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, column 310W, on departmental television, what premium television channels  (a) HM Revenue and Customs and  (b) the Valuation Office Agency subscribe to; and at what cost.

Stephen Timms: Data systems show a total spend of 8,521 across HMRC in the year April 2007 to March 2008 with British Sky Broadcasting Ltd and Sky Business.
	The system does not have the level of detail to show the channels subscribed to and would involve disproportionate cost to provide the information requested.
	The Valuation Office Agency does not subscribe to any premium television channels.

Employment

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of the jobs summit held on 12 January 2009 at the Science Museum.

Jonathan R Shaw: I have been asked to reply.
	The global economic downturn has far-reaching consequences and requires a coordinated response from across Government and businesses. We have been working hard to promote closer working between employers and Jobcentre Plus. On 12 January, for example, we hosted an Employment Summit, bringing together around 120 employers, representative groups and training providers to discuss how businesses can play their part in the response to rising unemployment. The total cost of the event was 162,076.18.
	Building on this, the Secretary of State jointly hosted the first meeting of the National Employment Partnership on 11 February. This event was attended by 22 key employers from across a number of sectors to discuss the implementation of the Government's new package of support for those who are still unemployed six months into a jobseeker's allowance claim, and to discuss the role and importance of Local Employment Partnerships.
	In addition to these events, Ministers and senior officials continue to meet with outside organisations on a regular basis to discuss specific issues arising from the recession across the whole spectrum of the Department's work.

Financial Inclusion Fund

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate his Department's expenditure on the financial inclusion fund in each financial year from 2009-10 to 2014-15.

Ian Pearson: The Financial Inclusion Fund is worth 130 million in 2008-11. The allocations over this time are:
	
		
			  Financial Inclusion Fund allocation 
			million 
			 2008-09 42.996 
			 2009-10 43.457 
			 2010-11 43.547 
			 Total 130

Financial Services Authority

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions the Chairman of the Financial Services Authority has been consulted about a notice served under section 49 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 prior to it being served on a regulated financial institution.

Ian Pearson: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act Code of Practice stipulates that a requirement to disclose a key to protected information from a provider of financial services shall not be imposed upon any company or firm authorised by the Financial Services Authority without prior notification to the Chief Executive of the Authority or a person designated by him for that purpose. I understand that the FSA has not received notification that any such requirement has been issued to a company or firm authorised by them.

Financial Services: Crown Dependencies

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to encourage co-operation between the Financial Services Authority and the Crown Dependencies' financial regulators.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 11 February 2009
	The Financial Services Authority already has regular contact with the Crown dependencies' financial regulators.
	The FSA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with each other of the Crown dependencies' regulators to provide a formal basis for cooperation, including the exchange of information and investigate assistance.
	http://www.fsa.gov.uk/Pages/Library/corporate/Memorandums/International/index.shtml

Financial Stability Forum

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reports he has received from the Chairman of the Financial Services Authority following the latter's attendance at the Financial Stability Forum in Hong Kong.

Ian Pearson: As the memorandum of understanding between HM Treasury, the Bank of England and the FSA sets out, the tripartite authorities have regular meetings and discussions to work together towards the common objective of financial stability in the UK. In particular, the memorandum of understanding provides that the FSA and the Bank will keep the Treasury informed of relevant developments in the international regulatory community.

High Level Group on the City

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when Sir Fred Goodwin ceased to be a member of the High Level Group on the City; and for what reasons he ceased to be a member of the group.

Ian Pearson: The Chancellor's High-Level Group last met in June 2008. The membership of the Group will be reviewed before it next meets later this year, to reflect changes to senior management positions among the Group's institutional members.

Income Tax

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of raising the income tax personal allowance to  (a) 8,000,  (b) 9,000 and  (c) 10,000 and lowering the higher rate of income tax by (i) one per cent., (ii) two per cent., (iii) three per cent., (iv) four per cent. and (v) five per cent. in 2009-10.

Stephen Timms: The estimates of increasing the personal allowance and lowering the higher rate of income tax can be approximated from table 1.6 'Direct effects of illustrative tax changes' on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/tablel-6.pdf
	The figures exclude any estimate of behavioural response.

Income Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of raising the personal allowance for all people to 10,000 and  (a) restricting the personal allowance by half from a 100,000 and to zero by 140,000 at a marginal deduction rate of 20 per cent.,  (b) restricting the personal allowance to zero from a 100,000 at a marginal deduction rate of 20 per cent. and  (c) restricting the personal allowance to zero from the upper earning rates threshold at a marginal deduction rate of 20 per cent. in each financial year from 2009-10 to 2014-15.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available. The particular estimates cannot be derived from information available on the Exchequer effect of changes to personal allowances.

Insolvency

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effects on the economy of the insolvency of  (a) large and  (b) medium-sized businesses in 2008-09.

Ian Pearson: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer the Financial Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) on 9 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1624-25W.

Landfill Communities Fund

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funding has been provided to waste reduction schemes under the Landfill Communities Fund and its predecessor in each of the last three years.

Angela Eagle: Figures supplied by the fund's regulator, Entrust, show that expenditure provided for on sustainable waste management projects under the landfill communities fund (formerly the landfill tax credit scheme) is as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year, 1 April to 31 March   million 
			 2005-06 23.0 
			 2006-07 17.9 
			 2007-08 6.8 
		
	
	Prior to Budget 2003, there were additional objects which covered sustainable waste management projects, which this question concerns. The fund was reformed in Budget 2003 following discussion with stakeholders. As well as extending the scope of the scheme from 1 October 2003 to include habitat creation projects on land that need not have public access, in order to support biodiversity, the objects relating to sustainable waste management were removed from 1 April 2003 and a proportion of the funding for the scheme was redirected to public spending on a new sustainable waste delivery programme.

Lehman Brothers

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether  (a) his Department and  (b) another of the tri-partite authorities has raised with the US authorities the issue of the return to the UK of the funds transferred from Lehman Brothers UK to Lehman Brothers USA on the evening the insolvency of Lehman Brothers was announced.

Ian Pearson: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations and international partners. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 29 December 2008, 
	(1)  on Bradford and Bingley, PO Ref: 1/65517/2009;
	(2)  on licensing of banks for Financial Services Authority compensation scheme regulations, PO Ref: 1/65525/2009.

Ian Pearson: A reply has been sent to the hon. Member for PO Ref: 1/65517/2009.
	For PO Ref: 1/65525/2009, due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Financial Services Secretary hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.

Members: Correspondence

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  when he plans to respond to the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire's letter of 21 November 2008 on Derbyshire Building Society;
	(2)  when the Financial Secretary plans to respond to the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire's letter of November 2008 concerning the failure of Kaupthing Bank;
	(3)  when the Economic Secretary plans to respond to the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire's letter of 23 October 2008 on inclusion of non-bank building societies in the financial support package for the banking industry;
	(4)  when the Economic Secretary plans to reply to the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire's letter of 23 October 2008 on the Government's decision to implement a financial support package for the banking industry;
	(5)  when the Economic Secretary plans to respond to the right hon. Member for West Derbyshire's letter of 23 October 2008 on the merger between the Derbyshire and Nationwide Building Societies.

Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Financial Services Secretary hopes to be in a position to reply to the right hon. Member shortly.

Mortgages

Willie Rennie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of households with shared appreciation mortgage products in negative equity; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 11 February 2009
	The Government have made no assessment of the number of households with shared appreciation mortgages which are presently in negative equity.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Andrew Stunell) on 4 July 2005,  Official Report, column 90W. Treasury Ministers have received written representations on shared appreciation mortgages from a number of individuals and from the Shared Appreciation Mortgage Action Group.
	The Government understand the concerns of people who purchased shared appreciation mortgages in the mid-1990s. However, to date no evidence of mis-selling has been found by the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Mortgages: Arrears

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for the Vale of York (Miss McIntosh) of 9 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1625W, on mortgages: arrears, if he will make it his policy to  (a) collect and  (b) lay before the House figures on mortgage arrears on a monthly basis.

Ian Pearson: The Council of Mortgage Lenders publishes the number of mortgages in arrears, available at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/statistics
	The Ministry of Justice publishes figures for the numbers of possession orders made by county courts, available at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics.htm
	Both these sets of figures are published on a quarterly basis.

Mortgages: Repossession Orders

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which 10 financial providers made the highest number of repossessions of homes for reasons of mortgage arrears in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Government do not hold these data. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) publishes the total numbers of properties taken into possession in the UK, available at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/statistics
	As announced in the pre-Budget report, the Government have established a new lending panel, which will improve monitoring of lending to households and businesses, as well as drive up best practice across the mortgage market and promote awareness of initiatives to support households against repossessions.
	The major mortgage lenders on the panel have agreed to a moratorium on repossessionscommitting not to repossess for at least three months after an owner-occupier falls into arrears. Some mortgage lenders have now gone further, and committed not to repossess for at least six months after an owner-occupier is in arrears. The Government welcome such moves.

Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property

Robert Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations his Department has received on the abolition of empty property tax relief for commercial premises in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of such representations.

Non-domestic Rates: Ports

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much port businesses in the statutory ports owe in arrears of non-domestic rates; and what the cost to the public purse will be of his proposal to allow them to pay this over eight years without interest.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	Local authorities are responsible for the billing and collection of business rates and the Department does not hold the information on individual arrears. The impact of the policy is set out in the Impact Assessment which was laid before this House on the 10 February accompanying The Non-Domestic Rating (Collection and Enforcement) (Local Lists) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2009 (SI 204).

Non-domestic Rates: Sports

Robert Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many sports clubs received mandatory business rates relief in each year since its inception.

Stephen Timms: By the end of 2008, over 5,000 Community Amateur Sports Clubs were registered with HMRC, and entitled to receive 80 per cent. business rates relief. Information is not available centrally on how many have taken up this relief, or on how many of these have received the additional 20 per cent. relief which local authorities have discretion to provide.

Premium Bonds

Colin Breed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many premium bonds with what monetary value have been purchased in each of the last 12 months.

Ian Pearson: The following table contains the value of premium bond sales for the period January 2008 to December 2008:
	
		
			  Total sales  Value () 
			  2008  
			 January 478,387,451 
			 February 423,566,785 
			 March 461,970,631 
			 April 531,465,390 
			 May 421,230,240 
			 June 425,737,360 
			 July 484,071,670 
			 August 424,526,830 
			 September 895,707,050 
			 October 1,424,850,770 
			 November 636,302,120 
			 December 464,942,550 
			 Total 7,072,758,846 
		
	
	These figures are un-audited and the December 2008 figure is provisional. With regard to the number of premium bonds sold, as each bond has a value of 1, the volume of premium bonds sold and the value of those sales are identical.

Presbyterian Mutual Society

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings officials in his Department have had on the Presbyterian Mutual Society in Northern Ireland entering into administration; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 3 February 2009
	Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
	Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS) is an industrial and provident society registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act (Northern Ireland) 1969. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland is the registrar.
	The Government announced at PBR 2008 that it would carry out a review of the regulatory framework for credit unions and industrial and provident societies in Northern Ireland, in association with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland, which is the Department with responsibility for these matters within the devolved Administration. The review has now started and work is ongoing.

Public Expenditure

Justine Greening: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what criteria he has assessed the required level of modernisation funding for  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10 and  (c) 2010-11, referred to in table B18, page 214 of the Pre-Budget Report 2008; and what the level of modernisation funding was in each of the last four years.

Yvette Cooper: h olding answer 16 December 2008
	The Modernisation Fund provides support to Departments to meet the transitional costs associated with releasing savings over the CSR period and embedding ongoing efficiencies over the longer-term. The level of modernisation funding over 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 was agreed with Departments as part of the comprehensive spending review process when budgets were set for the period 2008-09 to 2010-11.
	Modernisation funding in table B18 of the PBR represents an estimate of the profile of modernisation funding required by Departments. The exact amount of drawdown of modernisation funding in each year is discussed and agreed between Departments and the Treasury.
	The Modernisation Fund has only been in operation since 2007-08. Drawdown in 2007-08 was 141.4 million. All Departments are also expected to improve services and deliver improved value for money from within their spending review settlements.

Public Expenditure

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce unnecessary expenditure across Government departments.

Yvette Cooper: The 2004 spending review set stretching efficiency targets for all Departments to release resources for reinvestment in key front line services to deliver public services that represent value for money for the taxpayer. During the 2004 spending review period Departments delivered over 26.5 billion of savings, substantially over-delivering against the 21.5 billion set in 2004.
	In the 2007 comprehensive spending review the Government agreed to deliver a further 30 billion of savings by 2010-11, all gains to be cash-releasing and net of costs. Departments are in the progress of delivering these savings and will report on progress in their departmental reports. In addition to the 30 billion value for money target, Budget 2008 launched the Operational Efficiency programme and the Public Value programme to explore whether further efficiency savings could be achieved. The 2008 pre-Budget report announced an increase of the existing cross-Government value for money target for 2010-11, releasing 5 billion of additional efficiency savings in 2010-11.

Public Sector: Investment

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to facilitate public sector capital investment projects facing delays due to the recent problems in the financial markets; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The Government are on track to deliver total investment of over 50 billion in 2008-09. In addition, new arrangements have been put in place to make sure that the additional spending brought forward as part of the fiscal stimulus announced in November goes ahead.
	PFI deals are still going ahead, but like all private sector investment projects, the global credit crunch is having an effect. The Government have been working for some time with individual projects to help them close and the measures the Treasury has already announced to support bank lending are intended to help anyone seeking finance.

Public Sector: Pensions

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which public sector pension schemes have a standard retirement age of less than 65 years of age.

Yvette Cooper: Normal pension ages for major public sector occupational pension schemes are given in table 3.23 on page 23 of the Occupational Pension Schemes Annual Report, 2007 edition, published by the Office for National Statistics on 23 September 2008,
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_population/OccPension2007/OPSS_Annual_Report_2007.pdf
	This table reflects the position in 2007 and since then the NHS scheme has introduced a normal pension age of 65 for new entrants from April 2008 and, in due course, for other members who wish to transfer to the revised terms.

Research and Development Tax Credit

Robert Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien) of 3 November 2008,  Official Report, column 100W on research and development tax credit, how many companies used Business Link's interactive tool to calculate their eligibility for research and development tax credits in each month since March 2006.

Angela Eagle: No monthly breakdown is available of the previous answer. In total, since its launch, the tool has now been successfully used in around 9,400 instances.

Research and Development Tax Credit

Robert Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Eddisbury (Mr. O'Brien) of 3 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 101-2W, on research and development tax credit, when figures for the  (a) number and  (b) value of research and development tax credits claimed in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08 will be available.

Angela Eagle: Statistics on the number and cost of claims for research and development tax credits are published in December each year as national statistics on the HM Revenue and Customs website.
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/corporate tax/randdtcmenu.htm
	Figures for years up to and including 2006-07 were published on 19 December 2008. Those for 2007-08 are scheduled for publication in December 2009.

Research and Development Tax Credit

Robert Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the level of accuracy of the quotes provided to companies using Business Link's interactive tool to calculate their eligibility for research and development tax credits.

Angela Eagle: The interactive tool was developed with HMRC. Since launch the content of this tool has been reviewed by HMRC in March 2007, July 2007 and January 2008 with the aim of ensuring that the tool continues to meet the purpose of allowing companies to check whether they may be likely to be eligible for R and D tax credits. HMRC is currently in the process of undertaking a further routine review of the tool.

Revenue and Customs: ICT

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) original projected cost and  (b) implementation milestones of HM Revenue and Customs' new IT system were; how much has been spent on the system; what milestones have been met; how much remains to be spent; and what the remaining implementation milestones are.

Stephen Timms: The contract with Capgemini is not for a single new IT system. It is for the maintenance of a wide range of existing IT services (including application maintenance, automated data capture, data centre services, desktop service, printed output, Wide Area Network (WAN) and telecoms services) and the development and enhancement of new systems that arise from ministerial and other business requirements.
	The cost of the IT services contract with Capgemini (Aspire) when it was signed was 3.3 billion but it has subsequently been significantly expanded to take account of additional demands and changing business requirements. For example, HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) contract with Capgemini now incorporates the IT services provided to the former HM Customs and Excise by Fujitsu as well as the delivery of additional projects to implement the Carter Review recommendations, modernise the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) system and improve HMRC's internal Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system as part of the Department's Transformation Programme.
	From July 2004 to December 2008 HMRC has spent 3.2 billion for all IT services provided including a substantial portfolio of change and legislative initiatives. The balance to be spent over the remaining years of the contract is estimated to be 4.5 billion.

Revenue and Customs: ICT

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the original contract completion date was for HM Revenue and Customs' IT system being implemented by Capgemini; and whether the completion date has since been extended.

Stephen Timms: The original contract with Capgemini was scheduled to be completed in June 2014 but at the end of 2007 it was agreed with Capgemini that the contract would be extended for a further three years to June 2017.

Revenue and Customs: North West

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people work at the HM Revenue and Customs offices at  (a) Regian House, Liverpool,  (b) Dukes House, Southport and  (c) Birchen House, Birkenhead; how many people in each age band there are in each; and how many (i) men and (ii) women there are in each office.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 12 February 2009
	 The following number of people (headcount) work in these buildings as at 1 February 2009:
	 (a) Regian House, Liverpool445, of which 193 are men and 252 are women
	 (b) Duke's House, Southport67, of which 19 are men and 48 are women
	 (c) Birchen House, Birkenhead98, of which 29 are men and 69 are women
	The number of people (headcount) in each age band is as follows:
	
		
			  (a) Regian House, Liverpool 
			  Age band  Headcount 
			 20-24 14 
			 25-29 30 
			 30-34 23 
			 35-39 56 
			 40-44 64 
			 45-49 96 
			 50-54 85 
			 55-59 56 
			 60 and over 21 
			 Total 445 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) Duke's House, Southport 
			  Age band  Headcount 
			 25-29 1 
			 30-34 3 
			 35-39 6 
			 40-44 10 
			 45-49 14 
			 50-54 15 
			 55-59 14 
			 60 and over 4 
			 Total 67 
		
	
	
		
			  (c) Birchen House, Birkenhead 
			  Age band  Headcount 
			 20-24 1 
			 25-29 5 
			 30-34 1 
			 35-39 20 
			 40-44 15 
			 45-49 17 
			 50-54 15 
			 55-59 20 
			 60 and over 4 
			 Total 98

Revenue and Customs: Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1273W, on Revenue and Customs: Northern Ireland, if he will take steps to ensure that appointments to HM Revenue and Customs offices in Northern Ireland more closely reflect the proportions of the working age population.

Stephen Timms: HMRC is committed to equality of opportunity and is taking the following steps to ensure that appointments reflect the economically active population of Northern Ireland and that any perceived barriers are minimised.
	All recruitment processes within HMRC are designed to be fair and equitable and selection is based solely on merit.
	HMRC is taking positive action by ensuring that all HMRC vacancy advertisements carry a 'welcome' message. This states that 'we welcome applications from all sections of the community but, as members of the Protestant community are currently underrepresented, applications from this community are particularly welcome'.
	HMRC Work Experience Programmes have been targeted to promote HMRC positively to the Protestant community. We anticipate that this will increase awareness of the opportunities that exist within HMRC and in turn lead to an increase in applications from the Protestant community.
	HMRC has met with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) and is currently working with the ECNI to agree an affirmative action plan to ensure fair participation of all sections of the community in its work force.

Royal Bank of Scotland: Directors

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many directors of the board of the Royal Bank of Scotland have left the board since the arrangements were made for UK Financial Investments to acquire a majority stake in the bank.

Ian Pearson: Since 13 October 2008, the date on which HMT's proposed investment in RBS was announced, four directors of the board have stepped down or retired and two directors have indicated their plans to leave the board in due course.

Schools: Uniforms

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 31 March 2008,  Official Report, column 668W, on schools: uniforms, what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the introduction of a reduced value added tax (VAT) rate for items of school uniform that are not already VAT zero-rated since March 2008.

Stephen Timms: The Government have not discussed this issue further with European counterparts since this question was raised on 31 March 2008. There is currently no scope within EU VAT law to introduce a reduced rate for items of school uniform not already VAT zero-rated.
	The European Commission published a legislative proposal on reduced VAT rates in July 2008 in order to provide greater flexibility for member states to apply reduced rates. This proposal did not include children's clothing.

Sports: Concessions

Eric Illsley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on value added tax charges on concessionary admissions to sports centres.

Stephen Timms: Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Geoffrey Robinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the Exchequer receipts for stamp duty land tax for  (a) residential and  (b) commercial property for the period September 2008 to February 2009.

Ian Pearson: Receipts for stamp duties as a whole are published monthly at
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax receipts/table1-3.pdf
	Receipts for stamp duties as a whole for January and February will be published at the end of February and March respectively. Receipts for stamp duty land tax for 2008-09, with separate estimates given for the residential and commercial components, will be published in September.

Tax Allowances: Pensions

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of tax relief on pension contributions for both  (a) employees and  (b) employers in each financial year from 2009-10 to 2014-15.

Stephen Timms: Estimates on the costs of tax reliefs on pension contributions beyond 2008-09 are not available.
	The estimate for the costs of tax reliefs on pension contributions for 2008-09 can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table1-5.pdf
	The latest information on the previous costs of tax relief on pension contributions to 2007-08 can be found at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/pensions/table7-9.pdf

Tax Avoidance

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to counter the practice of offshoring legal ownership of company trademarks to low-tax locations; and if he will estimate the loss to the Exchequer as a result of this practice in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 12 February 2009
	 The detailed figures requested are not available. The Government have measures in place to counter tax avoidance and to protect the UK tax base, for example the controlled foreign company rules.
	The UK is working with other countries to increase transparency and clamp down on harmful tax practices. Anti-avoidance measures are kept under review to ensure that tax loopholes that provide avoidance opportunities are legislated on.

Tax Yields: Wales

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the proportion of UK tax receipts raised in Wales in 2008.

Stephen Timms: Figures for total tax receipts at regional level are not available.
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish estimates of income tax, council taxes and vehicle taxes paid by households by region, which is available on:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme economy/Regional Disposable Household Income 1995-2006.xls
	The relevant data can be found under D.5 Current taxes on income, wealth etc in Table NUTS 2:8.
	Regional stamp duty receipts attributable to residential property are published by HMRC, available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/stamp duty/tablel5-2.pdf

Valuation Office: Manpower

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been employed in the Valuation Office Agency in each year since 2003.

Stephen Timms: The numbers of full-time equivalent staff employed by the Valuation Office Agency as at the end of March each year are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003 4,000 
			 2004 3,803 
			 2005 4,812 
			 2006 4,850 
			 2007 4,296 
			 2008 4,081 
			 2009 (1)3,804 
			 (1 )As at 1 February 2009.

VAT

Stephen Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer in tax forgone of the reduction in the rate of value added tax to 15 per cent. in the period from 1 April 2009 to 1 January 2010.

Stephen Timms: The estimated cost of the temporary reduction in the standard rate of VAT was published in Table B5 of the 2008 pre-Budget report. The value for 2009-10 relates to the specified period.

Welfare Tax Credits

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1639W, on tax credit, how many current recipients of tax credits would see their entitlement reduced to zero in each scenario.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not currently available.

Welfare Tax Credits

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of tax credit payments were made to  (a) working claimants and  (b) claimants who were not working in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Estimates of the average number of in-work and out-of-work families benefiting from tax credits in 2006-07, as well as their total tax credit entitlements are available in the HMRC publication Child and Working Tax Credits. Finalised Annual Awards 2006-07. This publication is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm
	Estimates for 2007-08 are not yet available.

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Mark Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit claimants resident in Winchester were overpaid tax credits in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: Estimates of the number of families with tax credit awards, including information on overpayments by constituency, based on final family circumstances and incomes, for the years 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 are available in the HMRC publications Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards. Supplement on Payments. Geographical Analyses, for each relevant year. These publications are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm
	Estimates for 2007-08 are not yet available.

Welfare Tax Credits: St. Albans

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax credit claimants resident in St. Albans were overpaid tax credits in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: Estimates of the number of families with tax credit awards, including information on overpayments by constituency, based on final family circumstances and incomes, for the years 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 are available in the HMRC publications Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards. Supplement on Payments. Geographical Analyses, for each relevant year. These publications are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm
	Estimates for 2007-08 are not yet available.

Welfare Tax Credits: Wales

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the working population in Wales was in receipt of tax credits in 2008.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available.
	However, estimates of the number of in-work families benefiting from Tax Credits, by country and government office region, as at December 2008, are available in table 1 of the HMRC snapshot publication, Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Geographical Analyses. December 2008, on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personaltaxcredits/cwtcgeogstats.htm
	The latest published estimates of take-up rates of in-work families by country and government office regions are reported in table 9 of the HMRC publication, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit Take-up Rates 2005-06 which is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personaltaxcredits/cwtctakeup.htm

Working Tax Credit

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many claims for  (a) underpayments and  (b) overpayments of working tax credit from residents of the Portsmouth travel-to-work area remain unresolved;
	(2)  how many people in the Portsmouth travel-to-work area were underpaid working tax credit in the last two years; how many of these have had their payments corrected to date; and how much his Department has spent on making correction payments to date;
	(3)  how much has been recovered from overpayments of working tax credit from residents in the Portsmouth travel-to-work area to date.

Stephen Timms: Information is not available in the format requested. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Code of Practice 26 'What happens if we've paid you too much tax credit?' explains the ways the Department collect back an overpayment.
	HMRC publish information on the number and value of tax credits overpaid and underpaid by local authority and parliamentary constituency on its website at
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-supp-06-07.pdf

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Departmental Internet

Mark Harper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality if she will publish a copy of the Government Equalities Office's website accessibility plan.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office will publish its website accessibility plan in June 2009.

Departmental Lobbying

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality whether she received representations from  (a) Lord Moonie,  (b) Lord Taylor of Blackburn,  (c) Lord Snape and  (d) Lord Truscott in the last seven months.

Maria Eagle: The Minister for Women and Equality has not received any representations from Lords Moonie, Taylor, Snape and Truscott in the last seven months.

Females: Public Appointments

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what progress she has made in increasing the proportion of women appointed to public bodies.

Maria Eagle: The latest figures, published by Cabinet Office show that, as at 31 March 2008, 33.3 per cent. of all public appointments were held by women. This is a decrease from the previous year. The Government remain committed to ensuring equal representation of women and men on the boards of our public bodies. The latest figures demonstrate more action is needed.
	Government are strengthening legislation to support this agenda. The forthcoming Equality Bill will include a broad range of positive action provisions that will allow political parties and public bodies to take a range of steps to encourage involvement among under-represented groups.
	The Commissioner for Public Appointments now has the power to take steps to promote diversity in the procedures for making public appointments within her remit. This came into force on 9 October 2008.

OLYMPICS

Construction: Olympic Games 2012

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many young people who have completed further education construction courses have undertaken job placements as part of the Olympic construction process.

Tessa Jowell: At the end of December 2008, there were 26 graduate trainees working for contractors on the Olympic Park. In addition, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) runs a work placement programme which allows undergraduates or recent graduates to obtain paid work within the ODA for up to 11 months.

Construction: Olympic Games 2012

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many undergraduates are being sponsored to obtain a construction-related degree as part of the Olympic construction process.

Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) does not specifically sponsor construction-related degrees but there are two other relevant programmes in place. The ODA runs a work placement programme which enables undergraduates and recent graduates to obtain paid work within the organisation for up to 11 months in functions such as planning, legal and procurement. Of the six people currently on this scheme, five are recent graduates, and one is an undergraduate. In addition, to the end of December 2008, there were 26 graduate trainees working for contractors on the Olympic Park.

Contracts: Olympic Games 2012

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what penalties are payable under the contract with Lend Lease on early cancellation of the contract to construct and manage the Olympic Village contract.

Tessa Jowell: The agreement with Lend Lease is structured in such a way that early termination would be a last resort option. Early termination is possible only under certain circumstances and, in the event that termination does occur, there are no specific penalties payable to Lend Lease. However, any costs and expenses necessarily incurred or contracted by Lend Lease for delivery of the services would have to be met by the Olympic Delivery Authority to the extent that they cannot be mitigated. The details of the contract terms remain commercially confidential.

Economic Situation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what recent discussions her Office has had with outside organisations to discuss policies on reducing the effect of the recession on matters within her Office's responsibility.

Tessa Jowell: Officials of the Government Olympic Executive and I meet a wide variety of stakeholders to discuss all aspects of the London 2012 games programme. These discussions frequently cover both the effects of the current economic downturn and the many economic benefits associated with the preparations for, and the legacy of, the 2012 games.
	London 2012 is bringing a wide range of business and economic benefits including 6 billion worth of contracts, over 75,000 supply chain opportunities and many jobs, skills training and apprenticeship opportunities. These include 30,000 people helping to build the Olympic Park and Olympic Village; 2,500 people directly employed on the staging of the games with a contractor work force of some 100,000; and 50,000 new permanent jobs in the Park and the wider Lower Lea Valley after the Olympics are over. As well as further jobs in the supply chain, the games will also create 6,700 jobs in the wider visitor economy. Visit Britain estimates the tourism benefits at 2.1 billion. In terms of skills, at least 350 apprentices will gain valuable skills on the construction of Park and Village.
	The economic downturn has reduced the amount of private sector investment available to the Olympic Village and the International Broadcast Centre/Main Press Centre projects. However, these projects remain on track; and to the extent that additional public sector funds are required, these can be delivered within the 9.325 billion public sector funding package.

Olympic Games 2012: Construction

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what steps she is taking to contain the cost increases of Olympic venues; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 12 February 2009
	It is part of the Olympic Delivery Authority's (ODA) normal business to bear down on costs across the programme. As reported in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Annual Report, published January 2009, the forecast of potential final costs of the ODA programme includes estimated savings of 193 million, offsetting forecast increases. There are a range of controls in place to manage risks and budgets, control changes and control access to contingency. The forecast in potential cost increases in venues is offset by potential savings in other parts of the project. So far, the powerlines tunnelling project, Orient Way railway sidings project and the Weymouth and Portland sailing venue have all been delivered on time and budget.

Olympic Games 2012: Construction

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what plans there are for the use of the  (a) basketball arena,  (b) white water course centre and  (c) hockey centre after the end of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Tessa Jowell: Business plans are currently being developed for the legacy use of all permanent London 2012 sporting venues.
	The basketball arena is a temporary venue. The venue will be dismantled after the Games, and as many component parts as possible will be relocated and reused. The site will be available for development as part of the Legacy Masterplan Framework, the spatial development plan for the legacy of the Olympic Park.
	The Whitewater course centre will operate as a Whitewater Canoe and Rafting Centre in legacy, with two courses (300 m and 100 m) for elite and community use.
	The hockey venue for the Games is a temporary venue, and will therefore be dismantled after the Games to provide parkland and public domain within the Olympic Park. On the Olympic Park in legacy, Eton Manor will provide hockey, tennis and five-a-side football facilities for community and high performance uses. The site will also accommodate allotments, a war memorial and a wind turbine. Eton Manor will be operated in legacy by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.

Olympic Games 2012: Construction

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what plans there are for the use of the  (a) international broadcast centre and  (b) main press centre after the end of the London 2012 Olympic games.

Tessa Jowell: The Government are working closely with the Mayor, the London Development Agency, London borough of Hackney and other partners to explore a number of proposals for the legacy use of both the international broadcast centre and main press centre. Our vision is for permanent facilities, focussed on the creative and media industries and on high quality employment for local communities, together with higher education uses. This work will be taken forward by the Olympic Park Legacy Company as part of its work programme to deliver a sustainable physical and socio-economic legacy from the games for the Olympic park and surrounding areas.

Olympic Games 2012: Expenditure

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much had been spent on the Broxbourne white water canoe centre at the latest date for which figures are available; and what the estimated final cost of the centre is.

Tessa Jowell: The contractor that will build the Broxbourne white water centre has not yet been selected and so it is not appropriate to announce budget or cost details while the procurement process is continuing.

Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what the reasons are for the potential increase in  (a) taxation and interest and  (b) programme delivery costs referred to in Table 2 in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games annual report, January 2009.

Tessa Jowell: The potential increase in taxation, as reported in Table 2 of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games annual report published January 2009, was the amount of corporation tax estimated to be payable on an anticipated receipt for the sale of the assets post-games. As a consequence of the decision, announced on 6 February 2009, to establish a dedicated 2012 Olympic Park Legacy Company, it is now more likely that the Company will benefit from that anticipated receipt and the corporation tax is now unlikely to be payable by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).
	The increase in programme delivery costs is a result of CLM (ODA's Delivery Partnerand incentivised to deliver to programme and against cost targets) achieving a higher level of key performance indicators than anticipated in the original budget leading to a consequential increase in performance related payments. This reflects good progress in respect of the delivery of the projectto time and within budgetand in the achievement of savings which are outlined in the 2009 annual report.

Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what costs had been incurred on  (a) the 2012 Media Centre and  (b) the 2012 Olympic Village as at 1 February 2009; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: Olympic Delivery Authority figures at the end of January 2009 show expenditure of 24.28 million on the International Business Centre/Main Press Centre project and expenditure of 71.6 million on the vertical build of the Olympic Village. Both these figures are in line with expected levels of expenditure.

Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics for what reason the 326 million recently released from the Olympic contingency fund for the athletes village was drawn from the funders; why the 135 million for the International Broadcast Centre/Main Press Centre was drawn from funders and contingency reserves; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 12 February 2009
	The Funders Group contingency is principally for risks that fall outside of the control of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). The recent allocation of Funders Group contingency was to help fund the Olympic village and the international broadcast centre (IBC)/main press centre (MPC) projects, both of which had been affected by the global economic situation, particularly the downturn in the housing and banking markets. This downturn was outside of the ODA's control and therefore Funders' Group contingency is the appropriate source of funding.
	A proportion of the funding for the IBC/MPC project (67 million) was funded from programme contingency. This is because, as part of the restructure of the IBC/MPC project, elements of new scopeincluding to ensure that the buildings left in legacy have the flexibility to be adapted to a wide range of uses to maximise potential future employment opportunitiesand additional project contingency were included.

Olympic Games 2012: Gun Sports

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many .22 pistols have been made available for use by the British Olympic pistol team out of public funds.

Tessa Jowell: UK Sport have advised that an award of 5,056,000 made by UK Sport to British Shooting for the period 2005-09 included an amount that the sport can set aside for the purchase of equipment. However, the nature of shooting is that athletes will usually buy their own equipment, specifically the guns used to train and compete, or these are provided by sponsors.
	Individual athletes on the World Class Performance programme are awarded an athlete personal award (APA) which includes funding for living costs and sporting costs. The latter enables athletes to travel, attend training sessions and enter relevant competitions. Athletes in all sports are entitled to use this award to fund the purchase of equipment or as a contribution to the financing of equipment.
	This expenditure is for the athlete themselves to decide and UK Sport and the governing body do not monitor this, preferring to focus solely on the outcomes that APAs provide. These outcomes include such things as full attendance at training and events, use of high performance services and the athlete's commitment to self improvement that ultimately leads to improved performance.

Olympic Games 2012: Gun Sports

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what representations she has received requesting that the London 2012 Olympics shooting events be staged at Bisley.

Tessa Jowell: I have received representations from hon. Members, the National Rifle Association, Southern Counties Shooting Ltd, various members of shooting groups and other members of the public requesting the shooting events for the 2012 Olympic games and Paralympic games be staged at Bisley.
	KPMG were commissioned by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) last year to test and challenge the plans for a number of 2012 temporary venues, including shooting, to ensure they remain viable venues for competition in 2012 as well as offering the best possible value for money. In December the Olympic Board published the findings of the KPMG report. The Olympic Board agreed at the time of publication that further work to assess the venue for shooting would be carried out by the ODA and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic games and Paralympic games (LOCOG) in the new year. This work is ongoing, and includes an evaluation of Bisley which will be considered by the Olympic Board.

Olympic Games 2012: Haringey

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what existing sporting facilities in Haringey will be used for the London 2012 Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: There are two routes by which the existing sporting facilities in Haringey could be used for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Firstly as a Pre-Games Training Camp venue; Haringey has one designated training facility in the LOCOG Pre-Games Training Camp Guide offering athletics training facilities at the White Hart Lane Community Sports Centre in Wood Green. A National Olympic Committee or National Paralympic Committee is yet to make arrangements to use this facility for this purpose.
	Secondly, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has begun the process of identifying Games-time Training Venues and there is the possibility that this same facility could provide valuable training opportunities for athletes while competing at the London 2012 Games. The venue owner and operators have been asked to express their interest to LOCOG if they wish to be considered for this programme.
	In addition, 371 businesses in Haringey have signed up for CompeteFor (London 2012's website for publishing Games related contract opportunities) and 14 Haringey schools are registered as part of Get Set (LOCOG's domestic education programme).

Paralympic Games 2012: Transport

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what discussions her Office has had with transport providers serving the Olympic venue on access to their services by paralympians; and what funding is being made to these transport providers to ensure that paralympians can use these services to access the venue; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: Provision of accessible transport was one of the major strengths in London's bid to host the Gamesnot just for athletes but also for spectators, with a fully-accessible network of buses, black cabs and the DLR to the heart of the Games in Stratford.
	The Accessible Transport Strategy (appendix 2), published in June 2008, lists those organisations that worked with the ODA to produce this document, and who will help deliver our commitment to accessible transport provision.
	The ODA is also making financial contributions, alongside existing TfL funding plans, to a wide range of transport upgrade works which include improved accessibility works. Five London underground stations have been identified as serving Olympic venuesStratford, West Ham, Southfields, Baker Street, Green Parkand works are under way to make all of these accessible by the summer of 2012. Already, all DLR stations, buses (excluding heritage routes), and black cabs are accessible.
	The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) will deliver accessible transport for athletes, officials and the Paralympic Family from their accommodation to competition venues in 2012. LOCOG is entering a phase of detailed operational planning, and has already started talking to specialist operators with experience in the provision of transport for disabled athletes.

JUSTICE

Approved Premises: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans his Department has to establish bail hostels in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire.

David Hanson: I take the hon. Gentleman to be referring to the accommodation and support service for bail and home detention curfew provided to NOMS by ClearSprings. The service does not provide hostels. There are no plans to have a property in Hemel Hempstead. There is one property in Cheshunt and one property is to be provided in Stevenage.

Civil Servants: Codes of Practice

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  with reference to the answer of 5 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2632W, on trade unions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the section of his Department's staff handbook which outlines the rules for civil servants applying for  (a) paid and  (b) unpaid time off to engage in political activities;
	(2)  with reference to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Chichester (Mr. Tyrie) of 26 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1673W, on trades unions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreement with trades unions under which trades unions officers in his Department may take time off for trades' unions duties.

Jack Straw: The rules for civil servants in the Ministry of Justice (Mo J) applying for  (a) paid and  (b) unpaid time off to engage in political activities is contained within the respective Special Leave policies for National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the MoJ.
	The rules as to whether civil servants are allowed to take part in political activities is contained within the respective conduct policies for NOMS and the MoJ.
	The agreements with the trade unions under which trade union officers may take time off for trade union duties is contained in a number of facility time agreements which are currently under review.
	These documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

Civil Partnerships

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice in respect of which countries are registers of  (a) same-sex marriages and  (b) legal partnerships recognised in the UK.

Maria Eagle: Overseas same sex legal partnerships can also be recognised as UK civil partnerships if they meet the 'general conditions' outlined in section 212 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004.
	In addition:
	 (a) Same sex marriages from the following countries are 'automatically' recognised as civil partnerships in the UK:
	Belgium
	Canada
	Netherlands
	Spain
	USA (Massachusetts)
	 (b) The following other kinds of overseas legal partnership are also 'automatically' recognised as civil partnerships:
	Andorra: uni estable de parella
	Australia (Tasmania): significant relationship
	Belgium: cohabitation lgale (statutory cohabitation)
	Canada (Nova Scotia): domestic partnership
	Canada (Quebec): civil union
	Denmark: registreret partnerskab (registered partnership)
	Finland: rekisterity parisuhde (registered partnership)
	France: pacte civile de solidarit (civil solidarity pact)
	Germany: Lebenspartnerschaft (life partnership)
	Iceland: stadfesta samvist (confirmed cohabitation)
	Luxembourg: the relationship referred to as partenariat enregistr or eingetragene partnerschaft
	Netherlands: geregistreerde partnerschap (registered partnership)
	New Zealand: civil union
	Norway: registrert partnerskap (registered partnership)
	Sweden: registrerat partnerskap (registered partnership)
	USA (California): domestic partnership
	USA (Connecticut): civil union
	USA (Maine): domestic partnership
	USA (New Jersey): domestic partnership
	USA (Vermont): civil union

Civil Partnerships

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice in which overseas countries civil partnerships entered into in the UK are recognised.

Maria Eagle: The Government do not hold definitive information on which overseas countries recognise UK civil partnerships, or under what terms. The laws of other countries are subject to change without notice, and in some cases can be ambiguous.
	We are aware of the difficulties UK civil partners living in countries where their legal relationship status is not recognised can face, and where appropriate, we are working with those countries to achieve recognition.

Constituencies

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) of 10 March 2008,  Official Report, column 150W, on constituencies, what progress has been made on the review of legislation on boundary rules; and what the timetable for consultation with political parties is.

Michael Wills: It remains our intention that the current legislation in relation to the conduct of parliamentary boundary reviews will be the subject of an independent review. The arrangements for the conduct of the review are still under consideration. Consultation with interested bodies will be a matter for the review once it is established.

Coroners: Oxfordshire

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the  (a) average and  (b) longest time it took for a coroner to hold a treasure inquest once requested for finds from Oxfordshire in 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Ministry of Justice collects statistics on the number of finds under the Treasure Act 1996 reported to coroners in England and Wales during each calendar year, the number of treasure inquests concluded during the year and, of these, the number of verdicts of treasure returned. Information is not collected on the time taken to conduct treasure inquests.
	Informal figures are, however, collated by the British Museum, which records the time between the inquest being requested by the British Museum and a verdict being returned. These show that in 2007, the British Museum requested that the Oxfordshire coroner hold seven treasure inquests. The longest time between an inquest being requested and a verdict being returned was 525 days, while the other six ranged in duration from 77 days to 423 days. A statistical average based on such a small number of cases would be very volatile and heavily dependent on the particular circumstances of each case.

Departmental Buildings

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) display energy certificates and  (b) advisory reports for public buildings issued in respect of each property occupied by (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies.

Michael Wills: Display energy certificates (DECs) and advisory reports issued for public buildings are not held centrally in respect of Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and all its agencies. To commission copies of  (a) display energy certificates and  (b) advisory reports, to be placed in the Library for over 500 buildings, with the associated costs of copying, postage and staff time to complete the work could be done only at disproportionate cost. Accordingly, MOJ will not be placing these in the Library.
	The DEC ratings for MOJ buildings completed as at October 2008 can be found in the OGC Sustainable Procurement and Operations on the Government EstateGovernment Delivery Plan Update, published on 18 December 2008, a copy of which can be found at:
	http://www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/Delivery_Plan_Update_Dec08.pdf
	Annex B of the plan provides the relevant information on MOJ DECs.

Departmental Data Protection

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many members of staff have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones in each year since 1997.

Jack Straw: The Ministry has taken decisive action to improve data handling including minimising the amount of data put on removable media, encryption programmes for data and mobile devices that carry personal protected data and the introduction of training and education programmes to improve staff awareness of information risks.
	Government take data security very seriously, which is why a report into data handling procedures across Government was commissioned and new measures to improve and strengthen controls in the protection of personal data were introduced.
	Under paragraph 2.8 of the Data Handling Report published in June 2008, all Departments are required to amend HR processes where necessary to make clear that failing to apply controls in handling personal data could amount to gross misconduct, and this has been reflected in the Ministry's revised Discipline Policy issued in July 2008.
	In the Ministry of Justice, excluding the National Offender Management Service, details of the number of staff investigated for losing memory sticks, laptops, desktop computers and mobile telephones are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information on suspensions is not held to include the level of detail requested by this question. Central records only exist from 2003 and indicate that no members of staff have been dismissed for losing IT equipment. The central records from 2003 to 2005 do not include details of dismissals from the Magistrates Courts Committees, and these records are not held centrally.
	In the Ministry of Justice National Offender Management Service, details of the numbers of staff investigated or suspended for losing memory sticks, laptops, desktop computers and mobile telephones are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information regarding the outcome of disciplinary proceedings shows that no members of staff have been dismissed since January 2005 for the aforementioned offences. However, formal disciplinary action was taken against one member of staff during 2005 following the loss of a laptop.

Departmental Databases

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost of maintaining the databases owned and managed by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies was in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008.

Michael Wills: The Department has more than 70 major database systems, as well as other smaller database systems supporting local business areas.
	Responsibility for maintaining the accuracy of data held in individual databases rests with the appropriate business area. As this is not a centrally managed function, the information required to answer this question fully could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff in his Department were disciplined for  (a) bullying and  (b) harassment of colleagues in each of the last three years.

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff in his Department and its predecessors were disciplined for  (a) bullying and  (b) harassment of colleagues in each of the last three years.

Michael Wills: Harassment is defined in the MOJ conduct policy as:
	unwanted behaviour which affects a person's dignity. It can relate to age, sex, race, disability, religion, nationality or any other personal characteristic of the individual and may be continuous or a one-off incident.
	Bullying is not specifically defined by law, but may be seen as a form of harassment. Bullying could consist of:
	offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour;
	persistent unwarranted criticism; and
	exclusion and ostracising.
	In the Ministry of Justice there are three levels of sanction in disciplinary cases. They are first written warning, final written warning and dismissal.
	The Ministry of Justice, HMPS and NOMS do not hold the information centrally in the format requested and can be provided only at a disproportionate cost. However, validated records of dismissals for the MOJ (excluding HMPS and NOMS) are held centrally. The following table details the number of dismissals in the last three years.
	
		
			   Bullying  Harassment 
			 2008 2 2 
			 2007 1 2 
			 2006 0 0

Departmental Fixed Penalties

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what administrative financial penalties may be levied by his Department and its agencies.

Jack Straw: Administrative financial penalties arise where a department has the authority to charge a financial penalty without the need to resort to court proceedings. They exclude interest charged on late payment of invoices.
	The Legal Services Complaints Commissioner has the power under section 52 of the Access to Justice Act 1999 to levy a financial penalty on the Law Society.
	All other penalties levied by the department or its agencies are through the courts.

Departmental Foreign Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed by his Department.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice has an obligation under the civil service commissioners recruitment code to ensure its recruitment processes are operating under open and fair principles.
	The Ministry of Justice only employs applicants who have the right to work in the UK, and an individual's nationality is verified before an offer of employment is made. Civil service rules enable EEA nationals and certain non-EEA family members to be employed as civil servants. The Ministry of Justice does not hold central data in respect of the number of EU foreign national employed and they could only be collected at disproportionate costs.
	There is also a provision that, in exceptional circumstances, foreign nationals, other than EEA nationals and certain non-EEA family members, may be employed by means of an aliens' certificate under the Aliens' Employment Act 1955. This Act empowers the employing Department's Minister, with the approval of the Minister for the civil service, to issue a certificate of employment in certain circumstances. Information on the number of staff employed under the Aliens' Employment Act 1955 is collected. The Prison Service currently employs one person under the Act. This was approved by the then Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice, my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Sutcliffe), with the consent of the Minister responsible for the civil service.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which ICT projects initiated by his Department were abandoned before completion in each year since 1997; what costs were incurred on each project; who the contractors were; what the date of  (a) commencement and  (b) abandonment was in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Department was established in May 2007 and prior to that, responsibility for ICT rested with its predecessors.
	The National Enforcement Tracker System (NETS) project was cancelled in August 2007 following a detailed review which highlighted that the cost and scope of the project no longer provided value for money or met current business requirements. Expenditure to closure of the project was 4.328 million, this sum was reported in accordance with HMT accounting rules. The contractors were Steria, followed by IBM.
	In November 2008, following a review by Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) Board, the Electronic Filing and Document Management programme, which included plans for future investment in ICT, was cancelled. The review concluded that the Electronic Filing and Document Management programme was not affordable. The costs incurred by the programme from commencement of the programme in August 2005 to its closure in November 2008 were 5.922 million. The main contractors were PA Consulting (August 2005-December 2007); Logica and Atos Origin (February 2008-November 2008). The programme was formally closed and documented for future reference.
	Available records have not identified further abandoned ICT projects initiated by the Department for this period.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the initial estimated  (a) cost and  (b) delivery date was of each ICT project initiated by his Department and its predecessors in each year since 1997; what the (i) outturn cost and (ii) completion date was of each such project subsequently completed; what estimate he has made of the (A) outturn cost and (B) completion date of each such project which is ongoing; which contractors were hired for each project; and how much has been paid to each contractor in respect of each project to date.

Maria Eagle: The Department was established in May 2007, and prior to that, responsibility for ICT was spread across the former Department for Constitutional Affairs, parts of the Home Office and the technology unit of the Office for Criminal Justice Reform. The information required to answer this question is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Internet

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish a copy of his Department's website accessibility plan.

Michael Wills: The Department's website accessibility plan is set out in the website accessibility policy published on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/accessibilityandhelp.htm
	A copy of this web page has been placed in the Library of the House.
	The objective is to ensure that the Ministry of Justice website continues to achieve the standard required for compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0 level AA, using working practice recommended by the Guide to good practice in commissioning accessible websites (PAS 78), published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and Guidance for Government web teams issued by the Central Office of Information.

Departmental Lost Property

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what  (a) equipment and  (b) data his Department has lost in the last 12 months.

Jack Straw: Reported equipment losses for the last full year 2007-08, from creation of the Ministry of Justice in May 2007, included 11 laptop computers, one memory stick and 15 mobile telephones. In addition to lost equipment 12 laptops, two desktop computers and 14 mobile phones were reported as stolen. Four of the 11 laptops reported lost were subsequently recovered. Another one of those lost went missing in delivery and was never used. Records of mobile telephone losses are not held centrally and the numbers reported here have been taken from available records.
	The Ministry recorded nine significant personal data related incidents for 2007-08, of which three involved loss of laptops (one from within secure Government premises and two outside) and two involved electronic storage devices (discs). Details are published in the resource accounts, laid before the House on 21 July 2008.

Departmental Pay

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many bonus payments were made in 2007-08 to  (a) senior civil servants and  (b) other staff working in (i) the Judicial Appointments Commission and (b) the Office of the Public Guardian; and how much was paid in such bonuses to people in each category.

Jack Straw: The information is as follows:
	 (i) Judicial Appointments Commission
	Three Senior Civil Servants (SCS) working in the Judicial Appointments Commission were awarded non-consolidated performance pay during the financial year 2007-08. The total paid was 22,000.
	There were 43 'in year' payments of non consolidated performance pay to staff below the SCS working in the Judicial Appointments Commission during the financial year 2007-08 and the total amount paid was 19,650.
	 (ii) Office of the Public Guardian
	No payments of non-consolidated performance pay were made to any members of the SCS at the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) during the financial year 2007-08.
	In grades below the SCS, fifty-four staff working at the OPG were paid 'end of year' payments of non-consolidated performance pay and the amount paid was 21.600. Twenty six members of staff were paid 'in year' payments with a total value of 6.825.

Departmental Public Relations

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department plans to spend on public relations in 2009-10.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice currently has no plans for spend on public relations in 2009-10.

Departmental Recruitment

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff his Department recruited as  (a) permanent,  (b) temporary and  (c) agency staff in each year since it was established.

Michael Wills: The following table provides the information on the number of directly employed staff recruited since the formation of the Ministry of Justice.
	The Ministry of Justice does not hold central data in respect of the number of agency staff recruited and therefore they could be collected only at disproportionate costs.
	
		
			   9 May 2007 to 31 March 2008  1 April 2008 to 31 January 2009 
			 Permanent 5,062 5,471 
			 Fixed Term Contract 3,113 2,459

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  which local authorities have initiated proceedings to fine households who have not submitted an electoral registration form in response to the annual canvass since the sanction was brought into force;
	(2)  when the sanctions in relation to voter non-registration will be brought into force; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: As my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, East (Bridget Prentice), Under-Secretary of State for Justice explained in her answer on 24 June 2008,  Official Report, column 244W, to a similar question relating to which local authorities have initiated proceedings to levy fines on households failing to return the canvass form, this information is not collected centrally. Electoral registration officers (EROs) have a duty to compile and maintain an accurate register and they have a number of mechanisms available to them in achieving this. It is a decision for independent EROs whether they initiate proceedings for non-completion of the annual canvass form.
	Sanctions have recently been brought into force to create a new offence of supplying false information of any kind to a registration officer in connection with electoral registration. This sanction came into force in time for the 2006 annual canvass and anyone found guilty of supplying false information at registration can now be fined up to 5,000 or sentenced to up to six months imprisonment.

Electoral Register: Ethnic Groups

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the percentage of  (a) white,  (b) African,  (c) Bangladeshi,  (d) Pakistani and  (e) African-Caribbean people eligible to vote who are registered to vote.

Michael Wills: As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Bridget Prentice) explained in answer to a similar question from the hon. Gentleman on 21 July 2008,  Official Report, column 900W, the Government have not made any estimate of the percentage of  (a) White,  (b) African,  (c) Bangladeshi,  (d) Pakistani and  (e) African-Caribbean people registered to vote. In addition, it is not known what percentage of eligible people from these groups are registered to vote, as such information is not available.
	The Electoral Commission found in their report, 'Understanding Electoral Registration', published in September 2005, that the groups least likely to be registered to vote included young people, those residing in private rented accommodation and those belonging to certain minority ethnic groups. Registration rates among White, Asian (those from Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities) and Black Caribbean groups were similar.
	Section 9 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 placed a new duty on electoral registration officers (ERO) to take all necessary steps to register eligible electors. These steps include sending the annual canvass form more than once, making house to house enquiries and inspecting records that the ERO is permitted to inspect. The Government believe that these steps should help to tackle under-registration.

Freedom of Information

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff in his Department are employed on the management of freedom of information requests submitted to his Department.

Michael Wills: All freedom of information requests made to my Department are handled by the Data Access and Compliance Unit. Of the 27 staff employed in the Unit, 17 deal with the management of freedom of information requests. The remainder are responsible for handling requests under the Data Protection Act 1998, or have administrative or managerial duties.

Freedom of Information

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 his Department  (a) fulfilled and  (b) refused in (i) 2006 and (ii) 2007.

Michael Wills: My Department has published annual reports containing statistical information on freedom of information requests received by monitored bodies (including central Government Departments) in 2006 and 2007.
	These reports include statistics on the number of non-routine requests received by this Department and the initial outcomes of these requests.
	The reports can be found at the following address:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/freedomofinformationquarterly.htm
	In addition, copies of each report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Friction Dynamex: Asbestos

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what account he took of the cost of remediation of asbestos contamination on the Dynamex Friction site, Caernarfon, when selecting it as the preferred location for a new prison in Wales.

David Hanson: The Ministry of Justice was aware that there would be remediation contamination costs in selecting the Dynamex site at Caernarfon and when such costs are fully quantified they will be taken into account in negotiations with the owner.

Inspections: Public Service

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which organisations have the statutory right of access to Government Departments to inspect the delivery of a public service.

Shahid Malik: In the Ministry of Justice, the following organisations have a statutory right of access to inspect the delivery of a public service:
	HM Inspectorate of Court Administration (HMICA) was created in 2005 by the Courts Act 2003. The Act gives HMICA the duty to inspect courts and HM Courts Service Board, and to report to the Lord Chancellor on the system that supports the carrying on of the business of the Crown, county and magistrates courts, and the services provided for those courts.
	Independent Monitoring Boards have a right of access to monitor prisons under Section 6 of the Prison Act 1952. IMBs, legally known in this context as Visiting Committees, have a right of access to monitor immigration removal centres under Section 152 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
	HM Inspectorate of Prisons staff have a right of access to Secure Training Centres for the purpose of inspection under Section 43 of the Secure Training Centre Rules 1998, when accompanying a person who is authorised under the Children's Act 1989 and has been charged by the Secretary of State to conduct an inspection.

Legal Opinion

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost was of external legal services provided to his Department in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice was established on 9 May 2007 as a merger between the former Department for Constitutional Affairs and parts of the Home Office, namely the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR).
	Some of the legacy systems inherited by the Department do not separately distinguish expenditure on external legal expenses from other types of legal expenditure. This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	For activities relating to the former Department for Constitutional Affairs (comprising the core Department and its agencies, HM Courts Service, Tribunal Service and Office of the Public Guardian) accounting records indicate that expenditure over the last five years on external legal services was as follows:
	
		
			
			 2004-05 1,827,261 
			 2005-06 968,636 
			 2006-07 1,914,155 
			 2007-08 2,297,148 
			 2008-09 (to 31 December) 1,537,176 
		
	
	Expenditure on external legal services includes all use of counsel and solicitors in private practice and excludes advice from in-house legal advisers or Treasury solicitors.

Offenders: Personal Records

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1536W, on offenders: personal records, what his Department plans to do with the data once it completes its analysis of the final cohort;
	(2)  how many offenders there were on the Offenders Index when it was last updated.

David Hanson: There were about 8 million offenders on the Offenders Index database in December 2006. The Department no longer uses the Offender Index to provide routine data on reoffending and criminal history. We are currently analysing the final cohort of offenders extracted from the Offenders Index which are based on data up to December 2006. The Department has no plans for a further update but will retain the data after completion and publication of the analysis.
	Since 2005, the Ministry of Justice has been using data extracted from its Police National Computer database to provide the published figures on reoffending.

Offenders: Personal Records

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1536W, on offenders: personal records, whether his Department plans to delete any of the data which are not being used.

David Hanson: The Department no longer uses the Offenders Index to provide routine data on reoffending and criminal history; we now use data extracted from the Police National Computer to provide the published figures on reoffending. We are currently analysing the final cohort of offenders extracted from the Offenders Index. Although we do not plan to use the Offenders Index in future we have no plans to delete any of the data as there is a range of possible future uses for them.

Open Prisons

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many places in semi-open prisons for adult women prisoners  (a) there are in England and Wales and  (b) there will be in England and Wales after 2 March 2009 following the re-designation of HM Prison/Young Offender Institution Drake Hall and HM Prison Morton Hall.

David Hanson: Following the recent announcement from the National Offender Management Service to re-designate HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Drake Hall and HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Morton Hall, there will be no semi-open prisons for adult women in England and Wales after 2 March 2009.

Police Stations: Prison Accommodation

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many nights have been spent by prisoners in police cells in each police force under Operation Safeguard  (a) in total and  (b) in each month since April 2008; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: Operation Safeguard was activated between 12 October and 22 December 2006 and again from 16 January 2007 to 31 October 2008. Police cells have not been used since 22 September 2008 and no police cells have been on stand by since the end of October 2008.
	The following table details usage between 12 October 2006 and 22 September 2008 and gives the aggregate total of the number of prisoner nights in which a police cell was used. It is not possible to ascertain how many individual prisoners these totals cover.
	
		
			   Number 
			 Avon and Somerset 157 
			 Bedfordshire 496 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,888 
			 Cheshire 6,098 
			 Cleveland 4 
			 Cumbria 440 
			 Derbyshire 908 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,465 
			 Dorset 560 
			 Durham 1,645 
			 Dyfed Powys 683 
			 Essex 6,041 
			 Gloucestershire 18 
			 GMP 3,712 
			 Gwent 962 
			 Hampshire 2,095 
			 Hertfordshire 1,651 
			 Humberside 111 
			 Kent 4,937 
			 Lancashire 2,065 
			 Leicestershire 3,693 
			 Lincolnshire 1,739 
			 Merseyside 409 
			 MET 15,496 
			 Norfolk 32 
			 North Wales 2,252 
			 North Yorkshire 59 
			 Northamptonshire 1,494 
			 Northumbria 1,242 
			 Nottinghamshire 222 
			 South Wales 2,197 
			 South Yorkshire 1,209 
			 Staffordshire 60 
			 Suffolk 1,623 
			 Surrey 116 
			 Sussex 823 
			 TVP 3,848 
			 Warwickshire 2,177 
			 West Mercia 64 
			 West Midlands 8468 
			 West Yorkshire 4,665 
			 Wiltshire 97 
			 Totals 88,921 
		
	
	The following table details month by month usage since 1 April 2008 and again gives the aggregate total of the number of prisoner nights in which a police cell was used.
	
		
			  Number 
			   2008 
			   April  May  June  July  August  September  October 
			 Avon and Somerset
			 Bedfordshire
			 Cambridgeshire 19  21 61 41   
			 Cheshire  15 65 169 236   
			 Cleveland
			 Court
			 Cumbria
			 Derbyshire15 3   
			 Devon and Cornwall   15 46 65 11  
			 Dorset   1 17 14 3  
			 Durham  14  51 42   
			 Dyfed Powys
			 Essex 10 4 23 92 68 10  
			 Gloucestershire
			 GMP
			 Gwent
			 Hampshire   6 42 94 2 1 
			 Hertfordshire40 39   
			 Humberside
			 Kent 74 4  
			 Lancashire36 53   
			 Leicestershire
			 Lincolnshire
			 Merseyside   2 
			 MET 162 77 299 776 290 74  
			 Norfolk
			 North Wales
			 North Yorkshire
			 Northamptonshire
			 Northumbria
			 Nottinghamshire
			 South Wales   53 102 135   
			 South Yorkshire3 12   
			 Staffordshire
			 Suffolk 1  12 34 51 10  
			 Surrey
			 Sussex83 46 11  
			 TVP 24
			 Warwickshire   61 85 199 74  
			 West Mercia1
			 West Midlands   16 182 113   
			 West Yorkshire   7 147 94   
			 Wiltshire

Prisoners Release

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 552W, on prisoners: release, how long on average it took a prisoner eligible for jobseeker's allowance upon release to receive that benefit after release in the last 12 months.

Tony McNulty: I have been asked to reply.
	The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how long on average it took a prisoner eligible for Jobseeker's Allowance upon release to receive that benefit after release in the last 12 months. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	In answer to your specific question, I regret that this type of information is not routinely collected and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	Whilst information about prisoners' claims is not collected specifically, they are included in the overall Jobseeker's Allowance claim processing target. At the end of December 2008, our Jobseeker's Allowance claims clearance rate was an average of 10.4 days, against a target of 11.5 days. Whilst January figures have not yet been confirmed, we expect them to be at a similar level.
	All prisoners being released who wish to claim Jobseeker's Allowance are also able to use the Freshstart process. Freshstart involves pre-arranging a New Jobseeker Interview to claim Jobseeker's Allowance at the prisoner's home Jobcentre Plus office for as soon as possible after they are released. The customer normally has an appointment with a Jobcentre Plus Adviser within 3 days of leaving prison. The process helps to speed up the receipt of benefit and aims to ensure that the offender engages with the Jobcentre at the earliest opportunity to allow them to gain appropriate support.
	In addition, those serving shorter term sentences can also take advantage of the Rapid Reclaim Process. This service is available if a prisoner reclaims benefits within 26 weeks of their last claim and their circumstances have not changed. There are simpler and shorter forms to complete and processing the benefit is eased.

Prisoners Transfers: Jamaica

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of the prisoner transfer agreement signed with the Government of Jamaica in June 2007.

David Hanson: The prisoner transfer agreement between the United Kingdom and Jamaica was signed in London on 26 June 2007. It will enter into force when ratified by both the United Kingdom and Jamaica. Changes to Jamaican law are necessary before it can ratify the agreement. Once these changes have been made and Jamaica can proceed with ratification, the agreement will be laid before Parliament in accordance with the Ponsonby Rule in the normal way.

Prisoners: Elderly

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many prisoners aged 60 years or over there were on average in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many prisoners aged 60 or over were serving a sentence for a sexual offence on average in each of the last 10 years.

David Hanson: Figures showing the total number of prisoners aged 60 and over detained in all prison establishments in England and Wales and the total number of those within the same age group serving a sentence for a sexual offence from June 1998 to June 2007 (latest available) can be found in the table.
	These figures are taken from tables within the publications Prison statistics, England and Wales and the Offender Management Caseload Statistics, copies of which can be found in the House of Commons Library and which can also be found at the following website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonandprobation.htm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			  Population in prison establishments( 1)  under sentence, by age group and offence( 2)  England and Wales, June 1998 to June 2007 
			  Age group and offence  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Aged 60 and over 908 1,073 1,154 1,235 1,383 1,441 1,528 1,623 1,765 2,027 
			  Of which:   
			 Under sentence for sexual offences(2) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 840 867 925 974 1,114 
			 n/a = Data not available. (1) Excludes police cells. (2) Includes: buggery and indecency between males; rape; gross indecency with children and other sexual offences.  Notes: 1. Data for all prisoners aged 60 and over includes fine defaulters. 2. Data sources and qualityThese figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners: Females

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) convicted,  (b) unconvicted and  (c) convicted but unsentenced (i) adult and (ii) 18 to 21 year old female foreign national prisoners are in custody in England and Wales; and how many such people are being held in custody beyond the end of their custodial sentences.

David Hanson: Figures showing the numbers of female foreign national prisoners  (a) untried,  (b) convicted unsentenced and  (c), sentenced, separately for (i) adults and (ii) young adults, detained in all prison establishments in England and Wales at 31 December 2008, can be found in the following table:
	
		
			   Young adults  Adults 
			 Untried 15 141 
			 Convicted unsentenced 9 37 
			 Sentenced 46 522 
		
	
	Young adults are those aged 18 to 20 and those 21-year-olds who were aged 20 or under at conviction who have not been reclassified as part of the adult population.
	Information relating to the number of foreign national female prisoners who are detained beyond their custodial sentence is not available. The chief executive of the UK Border Agency has regularly updated the Home Affairs Select Committee with all of the most robust and accurate information available on the deportation of foreign national prisoners. Copies of her letters to the Committee are available in the Library of the House. She will continue to update the Committee as required.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisons: Construction

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether any land has been acquired for the construction of Titan prisons.

David Hanson: The work to identify suitable sites for prison clusters is currently under way, but we have yet to confirm or purchase any sites.

Prisons: Manpower

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average length of service was for  (a) a prison guard and  (b) other staff in (i) all prisons in England and Wales and (ii) HM Prison Winchester in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The average length of service for a prison officer and other staff in all public sector establishments in England and Wales and in HM Prison Winchester in each of the last five years are detailed in the tables. Information for public and private sector prisons are shown separately.
	 Public sector prisons contribution
	
		
			  Table 1: Average length of service for prison officers and other staff in all public sector establishments 
			   Public sector establishments 
			  Average length of service (years)  Prison officer  Other staff 
			 2004 11.0 6.4 
			 2005 11.1 6.7 
			 2006 11.3 6.9 
			 2007 11.3 7.0 
			 2008 11.4 7.2 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Average length of service for prison officers and other staff in HMP Winchester 
			   HMP Winchester 
			  Average length of service (years)  Prison officer  Other staff 
			 2004 11.6 6.9 
			 2005 11.6 7.3 
			 2006 11.6 7.8 
			 2007 12.2 7.9 
			 2008 11.3 9.0 
			  Note: Includes prison officers, senior officers, principal officers in public sector Prison Service. 
		
	
	 Private prisons contribution
	Information on staffing figures in the contracted estate is not collated centrally and has been requested from each contractor, derived from their own human resources databases. Information has been provided from each contractor Kalyx which manages Bronzefield, Forest Bank and Peterborough; G4S which manages Parc, Altcourse, Rye Hill and Wolds; and Serco which manages Ashfield, Doncaster, Dovegate and Lowdham Grange. Information in the following tables is provided for the contracted sector equivalent of Prison Service prison officers and other staff (non-operational). The data are provided for each year since 2004.
	
		
			  Table 3: Average length of service for prison officers in contracted prisons 
			  Prison  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Altcourse 6 
			 Ashfield 2.05 2.04 2.4 2.58 2.7 
			 Bronzefield 0.5 1.1 1.11 2.5 2.8 
			 Doncaster 7.39 6.94 6.52 5.48 4.46 
			 Dovegate  
			 Forest Bank 1.8 
			 Lowdham Grange  
			 Parc 2 
			 Peterborough  1 1.11 2.5 3 
			 Rye Hill 2.7 
			 Wolds 8.8 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Average length of service for other staff in contracted prisons 
			  Prison  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Altcourse 6.5 
			 Ashfield 2.46 3.2 3.6 4.39 4.9 
			 Bronzefield 0.5 1.25 1.5 2 2.5 
			 Doncaster 2.61 2.76 2.46 2.2 2.07 
			 Dovegate  
			 Forest Bank 1.7 
			 Lowdham Grange  
			 Parc 2 
			 Peterborough  0.1 1.5 2 2.25 
			 Rye Hill 4.8 
			 Wolds 6.1 
			  Notes: 1. HM Prison Bronzefield did not open until June 2004. 2. HM Prison Peterborough did not open until March 2005. 3. Information before 2008 is not available for HM Prison Altcourse, HM Prison Rye Hill, HM Prison Wolds, HM Prison Parc and HM Prison Forest Bank due to archiving and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. 4. HM Prison Dovegate and HM Prison Lowdham Grange have not provided the information requested.

Prisons: Wind Power

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will commission research on the effect on  (a) prison security,  (b) the well-being and health of prisoners and  (c) the safety and health of prison staff from (i) noise from, (ii) vibration from and (iii) movement of wind turbines sited close to prisons.

David Hanson: As I said in my answer of 5 February 2009,  Official R eport, column 1403W, the Departments for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, are responsible for Government policy on wind turbines and therefore for research about their impact on residential property and businesses in close proximity to them. The National Offender Management Service already reviews the security implications of wind turbines sited close to prisons and will conduct appropriate health and safety risk assessments on wind turbines that are already in place.

Welsh Language

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many members of staff at each grade in his Department identify themselves as Welsh speakers.

Shahid Malik: In an informal survey of 1,350 staff in Her Majesty's Courts Service in 2007, staff indicated a range of ability, from being able to meet and greet in Welsh to those who are fluent both verbally and in writing. This informal exercise did not ascertain proficiency levels on a grade basis; such analysis is not available.
	Her Majesty's Courts Service has not carried out a subsequent survey and there has been no Ministry of Justice wide data gathering exercise in this regard.
	All Tribunals Service staff at hearing centres in Wales are trained to meet and greet in Welsh, including answering the telephone. The Tribunals Service has not undertaken a formal survey of staff to indicate the range of ability from being able to meet and greet in Welsh to those who are fluent in the language, both verbally and in writing.
	Information on which languages are spoken by staff in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is not held centrally. To collect the information would incur disproportionate cost. However, there was a voluntary survey undertaken in NOMS Cymru HQ and public sector prisons in Wales last year. Out of 1,035 surveyed, 247 responded on Welsh language of which 11 per cent. (27) indicated that they could speak Welsh and 4 per cent. (10) that it was their first language.
	The two probation trusts in Wales each have their own Welsh Language scheme approved by the Welsh Language Board.

Winchester Prison: Drugs

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners at HM Prison Winchester were serving sentences for drug-related offences in each of the last five years; and how many incidents of drug use in the prison were recorded in each of those years.

David Hanson: The following table gives the numbers of sentenced drugs offenders in Winchester as at 30 June each year since 2004:
	
		
			  Number of prisoners serving sentences for drugs offences at Winchester prison 2004-08 
			   Number as at 30 June 
			 2008 31 
			 2007 44 
			 2006 84 
			 2005 49 
			 2004 44 
		
	
	The increase in 2006 was as a result of a local police operation.
	These numbers relate to specific drugs offences only (including the possession and supply of drugs) and not to other offences (such as those involving acquisitive crime) which may be related to drugs issues of the offender.
	Drug misuse in prisons is measured by mandatory drug testing. The table details the number of positive random and targeted mandatory drug tests occurring at HMP Winchester in each of the last five complete financial years.
	
		
			  Mandatory drug tests at HMP Winchester 
			  Financial year  Number of positive tests 
			 2003-04 129 
			 2004-05 132 
			 2005-06 74 
			 2006-07 55 
			 2007-08 65 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Winchester Prison: Finance

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budget for Winchester Prison was in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The budgets for HM Prison Winchester for the last five years were:
	
		
			
			 2004-05 15,905,573 
			 2005-06 15,132,176 
			 2006-07 15,020,041 
			 2007-08 14,543,161 
			 2008-09 14,891,331 
		
	
	The reduction in budgets for 2007-08 and 2008-09 reflects the fact that a wing was taken out of use for refurbishment during this time. The wing was brought back into use in November 2008.

Winchester Prison: Suicide

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners at HM Prison Winchester  (a) committed suicide and  (b) self-harmed in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The number of prisoner self-inflicted deaths and self harm at HM Prison Winchester are summarised in the table. To avoid any potential ambiguity both self harm incidents and numbers of individual self harmers are shown.
	
		
			  Self-inflicted deaths and self harm( 1)  at HMP Winchester 
			   Self-inflicted deaths( 2)  Self harm incidents  Individual self harmers 
			 2004 0 260 119 
			 2005 1 153 102 
			 2006 0 155 81 
			 2007 0 83 38 
			 2008 3 106 54 
			 (1) Information on self harm is derived from a high volume administrative system. The numbers have limited accuracy and should be treated as approximate. (2) One further self-inflicted has occurred at HM Prison Winchester so far in 2009.

Young Offender Institutions

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the redesignation of HM Prison/Young Offender Institution (HMP/YOI) Drake Hall and HM Prison Morton Hall will have on  (a) the distance from home,  (b) resettlement programmes,  (c) community links and  (d) re-offending rates of those female prisoners held in (i) HMP/YOI Drake Hall who have been assessed as suitable for semi-open conditions, (ii) HM Prison Morton Hall who have been assessed as suitable for semi-open conditions, (iii) closed conditions in the female estate and (iv) open conditions in the female estate; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The re-designation of HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Drake Hall and HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Morton Hall as closed prisons will allow the Prison Service to more properly provide for the needs of women suitable for each of the prisons. The effect of the change will allow for greater flexibility in the use of the estate; improving closeness to home and families for some women, allowing appropriate lifer and indeterminate sentenced women to be placed so as to better meet their needs, and in general enable more women to access the resettlement regimes available at the two prisons. There are no plans to move any of the women out of Drake Hall and Morton Hall as a result of the change. The change is essentially an administrative one, both establishments will retain their current levels of internal and perimeter security and their current resettlement regimes, including their roles as specialist foreign national centres. Women suitable for open or closed conditions will be able to go these prisons if such a move meets their resettlement needs.
	The changes are compatible with Baroness Corston's recommendation.

Young Offender Institutions: Nationality

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders held in  (a) HM Prison/Young Offender Institution Drake Hall and  (b) HM Prison Morton Hall are (i) UK and (ii) foreign nationals.

David Hanson: The following table gives the numbers of foreign national and British national prisoners held in Drake Hall and Morton Hall as at the end of December 2008.
	
		
			   Establishment 
			   Drake Hall  Morton Hall 
			 Total population 224 332 
			 Foreign nationals 45 225 
			 British nationals 177 107 
			 Nationality unrecorded 1 0 
		
	
	These figures have been taken from the Ministry of Justice published monthly briefing which can be accessed at the following website, where the foreign national prisoner statistics are updated quarterly:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/populationincustody.htm
	The population breakdowns by nationality have been scaled and also rounded to the nearest whole number; individual components may not sum to the totals.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Young People: Police Custody

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many juveniles were detained in police cells overnight in the last year for which figures are available.

David Hanson: It is the Government's policy that young people should only be held overnight in police cells in the most exceptional circumstances. Our records indicate that in the last 12 months, seven young people under 18 were held overnight in police cells pending transfer to a secure establishment. That includes four young people who were accommodated in police cells on the night of 2 February 2009 owing to adverse weather conditions.

Young People: Remand in Custody

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost was of detaining juveniles  (a) under court-ordered secure remand and  (b) remanded in custody in the last year for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The Youth Justice Board have calculated that in 2007-08 the total cost of detaining young people under a court ordered secure remand was 19,218,653. This includes contributions from both local authorities and the Youth Justice Board.
	In respect of those young people remanded into custody there is no distinction made in the Youth Justice Board's Service Level Agreement with the Prison Service between the cost of remands to custody and the cost of custodial sentences. However, based on the average costs of a bed in a young offenders institution and the average number of young people remanded to custody, the Youth Justice Board have estimated that the total cost of remands to custody in 2007-08 was 26,982,000.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Detainees

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the United States administration on allegations of torture at Guantanamo Bay.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office maintains an active bilateral dialogue on a range of human rights and international legal issues with the US Government, including on the prohibition of the use of torture. We have raised with the US allegations of mistreatment put to us by our nationals or residents currently or formerly detained at Guantanamo Bay. In the last year we have asked the US Administration to investigate allegations of mistreatment raised by UK residents Omar Deghayes, Abdennour Sameur and Binyam Mohamed including in relation to periods of detention prior to their transfer to Guantanamo Bay.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to instigate quarterly reports to Parliament of  (a) UK strategy and objectives in Afghanistan and  (b) UK performance against those objectives.

David Miliband: The Government have no plans to establish a system of quarterly reports to Parliament on UK strategy and performance in Afghanistan. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out the UK's long-term and comprehensive framework for security, political, social and economic development for Afghanistan on 12 December 2007. Ministers will continue to provide frequent reports to the House on UK policy in Afghanistan and progress in pursuit of our objectives.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date the 2008 periodic review of British strategy in Afghanistan was completed.

David Miliband: An internal stock-take of progress in Afghanistan in the 12 months to November 2008 was completed in December 2008. During the Queen's Speech debate on 3 December 2008,  Official Report, column 28, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister noted that the Government were conducting a review of Afghanistan policy. That review is ongoing, drawing on the findings of the stock take and discussions with partners. The implications and findings of the review will be communicated to Parliament.

Afghanistan: Politics and Government

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: Afghanistan remains one of the Government's top foreign policy priorities. Developments are kept under constant review. Since 2001 there has been considerable political progress in Afghanistan. Notable achievements include the first nationwide democratic presidential and parliamentary elections and ratification of a new constitution.
	With international support, Afghan-led presidential, parliamentary, provincial and district council elections are due to take place this year and in 2010. Voter registration is well under way and the third phase of this has now been completed.
	We and our international partners continue to provide development assistance and work with the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) to ensure the political space exists for Afghanistan to continue to develop democratically. Building capacity in the ANSF remains key for Afghanistan to take responsibility for its own security. In 2008 the Afghan National Army participated in 70 per cent. of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's International Security Assistance Force operations.

Africa: Peacekeeping Operations

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the joint Rwanda-Democratic Republic of Congo initiative against FDLR forces.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 12 February 2009
	Long-term peace and stability in the Great Lakes region of Africa depends on good relations between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. The presence of the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) militia in eastern DRC is one of the fundamental causes of the conflict there. We support the decision of the two Governments to co-operate in efforts to disband the group, and urge that they involve UN peace keepers fully in any military planning, and that any action undertaken minimises the risks to the civilian population.

Anglo Leasing

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the Kenyan authorities on the Serious Fraud Office inquiry into the Anglo Leasing affair; and whether any future discussions are planned.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 11 February 2009
	Officials at our high commission in Nairobi have made repeated representations to the Kenyan Attorney General, the Kenyan Anti-Corruption Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), to encourage co-operation with the inquiry into the Anglo Leasing matter. We will continue to raise this matter with the Kenyan Government and look forward to hearing how the Kenyan Government plans to progress the case. We welcome the assurance from the SFO that they are willing to look at reopening the case should evidence be received from Kenya.

Asia: Diplomatic Service

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what terms of reference Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles has been given in relation to his role as Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 12 February 2009
	The Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan will work closely with our ambassador in Kabul and our high commissioner in Islamabad, as well as co-ordinating with the other key Government Departments working on Afghanistan and Pakistan. He will focus on the cross-cutting issues facing both Governments, such as counter-extremism. He will work closely with his US counterpart, ambassador Richard Holbrooke, and will consult with other international partners to help build consensus and support for the Afghan and Pakistani Governments.

Asia: Diplomatic Service

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with the Governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan on the appointment of a Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan before Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles was appointed to that post.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 12 February 2009
	Ministers and senior officials spoke to their Afghan and Pakistani counterparts to discuss the appointment of Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles on 6 and 7 February 2009. Our embassy in Kabul and high commission in Islamabad also discussed the appointment of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan with their host Governments before its announcement on 9 February 2009.

Asia: Diplomatic Service

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what staff will be allocated from his Department to Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles to support him in his role as Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 12 February 2009
	The Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan will have two members of staff allocated to support him. The Special Representative will also be able to draw on the expertise of Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff working on Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as several other Government Departments, and our missions in Kabul, Lashkar Gah, Islamabad, Karachi, and the wider region.

Asia: Diplomatic Service

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the post of Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan is additional to his Department's establishment; and whether the appointment has been made for a fixed period.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 12 February 2009
	The position of Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan comes from the reallocation of existing resources within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The appointment has no fixed term but will be kept under periodic review.

Australia: Foreign Relations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a presentation to the Britain-Australia Society on his policy for UK-Australian relations.

Gillian Merron: The UK's close relationship with Australia is extremely important. It is based on a shared history, common values and vibrant people-to-people links. We remain in close and regular contact with the Australian Government at all levels, as we continue to work together to address the global challenges that we both face.

Binyam Mohamed

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions officers of the UK security services have interviewed Mr. Binyam Mohamed since April 2002.

Bill Rammell: As stated in official evidence in the recent High Court proceedings, Mr. Binyam Mohamed was interviewed on one occasion only, in May 2002, by the Security Service.

Bosco Ntaganda

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on  (a) Bosco Ntaganda's indictment by the International Criminal Court and  (b) Bosco Ntaganda's recent dealings with the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 12 February 2009
	The warrant unsealed by the International Criminal Court in 2008 for the arrest of Bosco Ntaganda remains outstanding. Mr. Ntaganda has been the de facto leader of the rebel National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) militia in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the arrest of Laurent Nkunda in January 2009. We understand the DRC Government is co-operating with Ntaganda as part of the process to integrate CNDP members into the Congolese armed forces.

Bosnia: Overseas Investment

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to encourage foreign direct investment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Gareth Thomas: I have been asked to reply.
	UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) have a small team, based at the British embassy in Sarajevo, providing tailored support to UK companies wishing to expand their operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina through international trade or investment.
	UKTI also provides information and links to useful sources of information, on investing in Bosnia and Herzegovina via the UKTI website
	www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk.
	The Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a state agency whose aim is to attract and maximise foreign direct investment into Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to encourage existing foreign investors to expand and develop their business in the country.
	The FIPA offer a range of services to foreign investors and the UKTI team are able to provide appropriate contacts in FIPA for UK companies interested in investing there.
	The UK has also been supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina's progress towards the EU. In June 2008 Bosnia and Herzegovina signed a stabilisation and association agreement, an important step on the path to EU accession. Its aim is to a process which promotes stability and transition to a market economy.

China: Arms Control

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings of the UK-China Bilateral Group on arms control and disarmament have been held since its inception; what  (a) matters have been discussed and  (b) decisions have been taken by the group; and if he will publish (i) each paper discussed by the group and (ii) the minutes of each meeting on his Department's website.

Bill Rammell: There is no formal bilateral working group between the UK and China on arms control and disarmament. However, we maintain a high level dialogue between senior officials to discuss counter-proliferation issues. The most recent of these exchanges took place in September 2008 between the FCO Director-General for Defence and Intelligence and her Chinese counterpart. I recently raised matters of counter-proliferation with my Chinese counterpart during my visit to Beijing last month. In addition, embassy officials in Beijing regularly meet officials from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss these issues.

Climate Change: Developing Countries

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what activities the UK Climate Security Envoy for Vulnerable Countries has undertaken since his appointment.

Gillian Merron: Since his appointment in October 2008, the UK Climate Security Envoy has been working closely with Department for International Development (DFID) to devise an engagement strategy for the countries most vulnerable to climate change worldwide, which are often the poorest. The aim is to help their voice be heard more clearly by the major economies. This is being taken forward by direct contacts with the countries concerned, including by the envoy and through the network of Foreign and Commonwealth Office posts and DFID offices.

Conflict Resolution

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which dates the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Conflict Resolution Mechanisms met representatives of  (a) the United Nations,  (b) the EU,  (c) the African Union and  (d) others; and where each meeting took place.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 12 February 2009
	Jack McConnell MSP, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Conflict Resolution Mechanisms, is based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He met officials from the European Council, European Commission and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation on 9-10 December 2008 in Brussels, and from the UN on 15-16 December 2008 in New York. Mr. McConnell also met EU officials on 2-3 February 2009 in Bosnia. He plans to meet officials from the African Union shortly.

Conflict Resolution

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Conflict Resolution Mechanisms has had with  (a) the United Nations,  (b) the EU,  (c) the African Union and  (d) others, broken down by type of communication; and on which dates such communications took place.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 12 February 2009
	Jack McConnell MSP, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Conflict Resolution Mechanisms, is based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He met officials from the European Council, European Commission and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation on 9-10 December 2008 in Brussels, and from the UN on 15-16 December 2008 in New York. Mr. McConnell also met EU officials on 2-3 February 2009 in Bosnia. He plans to meet officials from the African Union shortly.

Defence: Expert Capability

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recommendations the Cabinet Office review of the UK's civilian expert capability made in relation to the operation of his Department; and what steps are being taken to implement them.

David Miliband: The Cabinet Office Review of the UK's civilian expert capacity, agreed by National Security, International Relations and Development Overseas and Defence sub-committee Ministers on 21 January 2009, recommended enhancing the role of the Cross-Departmental Stabilisation Unit jointly managed by the Department for International Development (DFID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD), to allow it to become the primary Government delivery unit for deploying high quality civilian experts, as part of improving the overall effectiveness of our deployable civilian capability. An implementation team, drawn from the FCO, DFID and the MOD is being established to take forward the review's recommendations, including the proposal to transfer the management of secondments to multilateral missions, such as the EU and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, from the FCO to the Stabilisation Unit.

Defence: Expert Capability

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1519W, on armed conflict: reconstruction, if he will place a copy of the Cabinet Office review of the UK's civilian expert capability in the Library.

David Miliband: The recommendations of the Cabinet Office Review into Stabilisation and Civil Effect were presented to Ministers as a Cabinet Sub-Committee Paper. The Cabinet Office has advised that this paper should not be placed in the Library. Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees, including Cabinet Committee papers, is generally not disclosed as to do so could be prejudicial to the formulation of policy through full and frank discussion.

Departmental Correspondence

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many letters received by his Department more than  (a) one month and  (b) three months ago have not been answered.

Gillian Merron: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) 121
	 (b) 4

Departmental Databases

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of maintaining the databases owned and managed by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies was in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) resource accounts record the following consolidated administration expenditure on all IT and communications in the past three financial years:
	
		
			million 
			 2007-08 114.643 
			 2006-07 78.959 
			 2005-06 109.797 
		
	
	These figures include expenditure by the FCO's two agencies (FCO Services and Wilton Park), and covers all non-capital costs, including communications, incurred in the provision of data to staff worldwide.

Departmental Freedom of Information

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to his Department of replying to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in  (a) 2006, (b) 2007 and  (c) January to July 2008 was.

Gillian Merron: A report prepared for the Ministry of Justice by Frontier Economics Ltd., in October 2006, entitled Independent Review of the impact of the Freedom of Information Act estimated a figure of 254 for a central Government body to deal with an initial freedom of information request. Based on this figure, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has spent an estimated 805,434 since 2006.
	The report is available on the Ministry of Justice website at:
	http://www.foi.gov.uk/reference/foi-independent-review.pdf

Departmental Internet

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which websites are operated by his Department in addition to its main website; and what the operating budget for those websites is.

Caroline Flint: In addition to the main website
	www.fco.gov.uk
	the FCO operates the following websites on its corporate web platform:
	
		
			  Website  Language 
			 britishembassyinIreland.fco.gov.uk English 
			 emedia-secure.fco.gov.uk (best practice website for staff) 
			 foi.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukeu.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinafghanistan.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinalbania.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinalbania.fco.gov.uk Albanian 
			 ukinalgeria.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinalgeria.fco.gov.uk French 
			 ukinangola.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinangola.fco.gov.uk Portuguese 
			 ukinargentina.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinargentina.fco.gov.uk Spanish 
			 ukinarmenia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinarmenia.fco.gov.uk Armenian 
			 ukinaustralia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinaustria.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinazerbaijan.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinazerbaijan.fco.gov.uk Azeri 
			 ukinbahrain.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbangladesh.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbangladesh.fco.gov.uk Bangla 
			 ukinbarbados.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbelaras.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbelarus.fco.gov.uk Belarussian 
			 ukinbelgium.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbelgium.fco.gov.uk French 
			 ukinbelgium.fco.gov.uk Dutch 
			 ukinbelize.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbermuda.fco.gov.uk (demo website) 
			 ukinbih.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbolivia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbolivia.fco.gov.uk Spanish 
			 ukinbotswana.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbrazil.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbrazil.fco.gov.uk Portuguese 
			 ukinbrunei.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbrunei.fco.gov.uk Malay 
			 ukinbulgaria.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbulgaria.fco.gov.uk Bulgarian 
			 ukinburma.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinbvi.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukincambodia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukincameroon.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukincameroon.fco.gov.uk French 
			 ukincanada.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukincanada.fco.gov.uk French 
			 ukincayman.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinchile.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinchile.fco.gov.uk Spanish 
			 ukinchina.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinchina.fco.gov.uk Chinese 
			 ukincolombia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukincolombia.fco.gov.uk Spanish 
			 ukincostarica.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukincostarica.fco.gov.uk Spanish 
			 ukincroatia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukincuba.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukincuba.fco.gov.uk Spanish 
			 ukincyprus.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinczechrepublic.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinczechrepublic.fco.gov.uk Czech 
			 ukindenmark.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukindenmark.fco.gov.uk Danish 
			 ukindominicanrepublic.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukindominicanrepublic.fco.gov.uk Spanish 
			 ukinecuador.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinecuador.fco.gov.uk Spanish 
			 ukinegypt.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinegypt.fco.gov.uk Arabic 
			 ukinestonia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinestonia.fco.gov.uk Estonia 
			 ukinethiopia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinfiji.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinfinland.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinfinland.fco.gov.uk Finnish 
			 ukinfinland.fco.gov.uk Swedish 
			 ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk French 
			 ukingambia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukingeorgia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukingermany.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukingermany.fco.gov.uk German 
			 ukinghana.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukingreece.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukingreece.fco.gov.uk Greek 
			 ukinguatemala.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinguyana.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinholysee.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk Chinese 
			 ukinhungary.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinhungary.fco.gov.uk Hungarian 
			 ukiniceland.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinindia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinindonesia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukiniran.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukiniran.fco.gov.uk Farsi 
			 ukiniraq.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinisrael.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinisrael.fco.gov.uk Hebrew 
			 ukinitaly.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinitaly.fco.gov.uk Italian 
			 ukinjamaica.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk Japanese 
			 ukinjerusalem.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinjerusalem.fco.gov.uk Arabic 
			 ukinjordan.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinjordan.fco.gov.uk Arabic 
			 ukinkenya.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinkorea.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinkorea.fco.gov.uk Korean 
			 ukinkosovo.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinkuwait.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinkz.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinkz.fco.gov.uk Russian 
			 ukinlatvia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinlatvia.fco.gov.uk Latvian 
			 ukinlebanon.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinlebanon.fco.gov.uk Arabic 
			 ukinlibya.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinlibya.fco.gov.uk Arabic 
			 ukinlithuania.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinlithuania.fco.gov.uk Lithuanian 
			 ukinluxembourg.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinmacedonia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinmalawi.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinmalaysia.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinmalta.fco.gov.uk English 
			 ukinmauritius.fco.gov.uk English 
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	I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 24 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1043W, which gives details on the costs of maintaining these sites. The cost of maintaining our 232 departmental websites on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s previous web platform in 2007-08 was approximately 870,000. The cost of maintaining the 240 departmental websites on the FCO's new web platform in 2008-09 is expected to be 1,386,000. These figures cover hosting and support costs, but are not directly comparable because of the extensive changes in the way the web platform is managed in 2008-09, compared to 2007-08. The costs do not include staff time spent updating the website.

Departmental Lobbying

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Ministers in his Department received representations from  (a) Lord Moonie,  (b) Lord Taylor of Blackburn , (c) Lord Snape and  (d) Lord Truscott in the last seven months.

Gillian Merron: No.

Departmental Reorganisation

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 7 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1399W, on departmental reorganisation, what decisions have been made about the level of his Department's funding for science and innovation in financial years  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11.

David Miliband: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills have agreed funding arrangements for the next two years on science and innovation work. This will see an increase from 9.85 million in 2008-09 to 10.15 million in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Departmental Secondment

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2008,  Official Report, columns 1773-77W, on departmental secondment, how many officials are on secondment from his Department, broken down by  (a) job title,  (b) grade and  (c) department or institution to which they are seconded.

Gillian Merron: As at 1 February 2009 there were 136 officials seconded from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to a wide range of other Government Departments, non-governmental organisations and the private sector. The 136 officials comprise 40 senior management level, 17 at D7, 34 at D6, 11 at C5, 15 at C4, 14 at B3 and five at A2 level. For security reasons it is not possible to provide a breakdown by job title and Department or institution.
	These figures do not include FCO staff working for UK Trade  Investment or the UK Borders Agency.

EU Foreign Policy

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what foreign policy objectives the EU has established, ranked in order of priority assigned by the Council of Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 5 February 2009
	 The European Council sets the direction for the EU through a process of negotiation between the 27 member states, and makes its decisions known through Council conclusions. Every six months the rotating EU presidency publishes a plan of action which is reported to the Council and contains a section on foreign policy. However, these papers do not rank foreign policy objectives in priority order.
	The 2003 European Security Strategy (ESS) provides the framework for the EU's external action. In December 2008 the European Council endorsed the High Representatives Review of the implementation of the ESS. The ESS and the review suggest that Europe needs to be more active, more capable and more coherent in the external sphere and to work with partners in achieving its objectives. These include tackling distant threats such as terrorism and proliferation, with a focus on Iran and North Korea; building security in our neighbourhood including in the Balkans, the Middle East and the Mediterranean; and contributing to a well functioning international institutional system that is rule-based. The documents set out the need for the EU to tackle concerns over frozen conflicts, to push towards a settlement in the Middle East and to focus on ensuring energy security, including greater diversification of energy sources and a more unified energy market within the EU.
	The review makes clear the principle that states have a shared responsibility to protect populations, and that there is a link between security and development leading to the need for a comprehensive approach to conflict prevention and resolution combining all of the tools at the EU's disposal. The review also acknowledges the role that the EU has to play in conflicts further afield such as stabilising Afghanistan, and supporting UN objectives in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan/Darfur, Chad and Somalia. It also recognises the need for the EU to expand relationships with China and India and maintain close ties with Canada and Japan, and build on relations with Brazil and South Africa.

EU Satellite Centre

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the funding of the European Union Satellite Centre in Torrejn, Spain came from the United Kingdom in 2008.

Caroline Flint: The UK paid 16.90 per cent. to the EU Satellite Centre's budgets last year, in accordance with the gross national income key rate for 2008. This represented 1.4 million towards the centre's budget.

EU Satellite Centre

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to the public purse was of requests by the UK for information from the European Union Satellite Centre in Torrejn, Spain in 2008.

Caroline Flint: There was no additional cost to the public purse of requests by the UK for information from the EU Satellite Centre (EUSC) in Torrejn, Spain in 2008.
	Although the UK did submit some tasks in 2008, these were assessed to be of interest to other member states as well, and were adopted as Council tasks. There was therefore no additional charge to the UK, beyond our mandatory annual contribution towards the costs of the EUSC.
	The EUSC board approves a new budget annually, and the UK's annual contribution therefore changes each year according to the size of the uplift and any changes to the gross national income key rate applied. In 2008, the UK's contribution was 1.4 million.

Falkland Islands: Air Routes

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect on the British Antarctic Survey of recent increases in fares on the Falkland Islands airbridge.

Gillian Merron: It is understood that the impact of recent fare increases remains manageable within the British Antarctic Survey budget.

Fines

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any administrative financial penalties may be levied by his Department and its agencies.

Gillian Merron: Neither the Foreign and Commonwealth Office nor its agencies can levy administrative financial penalties.

Guantanamo Bay

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the Government plans to provide the US administration in closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 10 February 2009
	We welcome President Obama's Executive Order to close Guantanamo Bay within one year, and further Orders on detainee treatment and interrogation techniques. The UK has long called for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and we recognise that the US Government will require help from its allies to achieve this. We have already secured the release and return of 13 UK nationals and residents from Guantanamo Bay. We will continue to share our experience in accepting the transfer of former Guantanamo detainees with our European partners and others to help support the closure of the detention facility.

Horn of Africa: Politics and Government

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current political situation in  (a) Somalia,  (b) Ethiopia and  (c) the surrounding region; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The Somali Parliament expanded its number of seats by 275 during the latest round of talks in Djibouti in the last week of January. Over 150 new Members of Parliament (MPs) were sworn in. The MPs elected a new President, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, on 31 January 2009, who will lead the Somali Government. It is too early to assess whether this development will help to produce the broad-based Government Somalia needs, although the expansion of Parliament is in itself a positive development.
	We are working with the Ethiopian Government to ensure political space is maintained ahead of the Ethiopian national elections next year. Our current concerns focus around the passing of a law regulating non-governmental organisation social advocacy, and the re-arrest of the opposition politician Birtukan Midekssa.
	We welcomed the completion of Ethiopia's mission in Somalia, and its withdrawal.
	The UN Security Council (UNSC) recently passed a resolution condemning Eritrea for its incursion into Djibouti in June 2008. We will continue to monitor the dispute, paying particular attention to the deadline set by the UNSC for Eritrea to take action to engage on and resolve the dispute with Djibouti.
	In relation to the Ethiopia-Eritrea border dispute, while there has been no recent fighting, a resolution of the underlying problem currently appears unlikely.

India: Terrorism

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Indian counterpart about international terrorism.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited India on 13-15 January 2009. During his visit he met his Indian counterpart, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, where they discussed the challenge that both the UK and India face from international terrorism, and the importance of strengthening bilateral counter terrorism co-operation.
	Following his subsequent visit to Islamabad on 16-17 January 2009, the Foreign Secretary outlined in a letter to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee the messages he gave to the government of Pakistan. He highlighted the need for Pakistan to take rapid, concrete action to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice and to dismantle terror networks operating on Pakistani soil.

International Relations

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the observance in the UK of the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories pursuant to UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/63/110; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: No such representations have been received. The UK remains committed to modernising its relationship with the Overseas Territories, whilst taking fully into account the views of the peoples of the Territories.

Iran: International Relations

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects the foreign ministers of the P5+1 to meet to discuss a new UN Security Council Resolution on Iran; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Senior officials from the E3+3 met on 4 February 2009. They reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a diplomatic resolution to the Iran nuclear issue based on the dual track strategy embodied in a series of UN Security Council Resolutions. They agreed to consult on next steps. At present, a date has not been set for a meeting of E3+3 Foreign Ministers.

Iran: Proscribed Organisations

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Government of Iran on the decision to de-proscribe the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran as a terrorist organisation within the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The status of the Mujaheddin-e-Khalq (MEK, also known as the People's Mujahedeen Organisation of Iran or PMOI) has been regularly discussed by Ministers and officials in meetings with their Iranian counterparts, most recently, on 7 February 2009, when the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Ali Larijani, raised the issue with me.
	On 26 January 2009 the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council adopted a new list of proscribed organisations and individuals, which did not include the PMOI.

Iraq: Asylum

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to seek to ensure the recognition of international humanitarian requirements in respect of the inhabitants of Ashraf city.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 10 February 2009
	Responsibility for the camp was handed to the Iraqi authorities from 1 January 2009 by the US. The US will retain a presence at the camp in an advisory/monitoring capacity. We understand that the International Committee of the Red Cross is following developments at the camp closely and that the Iraqi authorities have undertaken to continue to provide access to such bodies as well as to the US authorities.
	The US received assurances from the Iraqi authorities making clear their commitment to the humane treatment and continued wellbeing of the camp residents. We understand the Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights also visited the camp and delivered these assurances to a representative body of the residents.
	We are naturally concerned that the rights of all those involved are observed and that they continue to be treated humanely and their human rights respected. We understand that the US remains satisfied that the Iraqi authorities are fully aware of their responsibilities with regard to Camp Ashraf and its residents.

Israel: Nuclear Weapons

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions since January 2008  (a) he and  (b) other Ministers in his Department have discussed with their Israeli counterparts Israel's possession of nuclear weapons.

Bill Rammell: Ministers have had no discussions, since January 2008, with our Israeli counterparts regarding their possession of nuclear weapons.
	We have on a number of occasions called on Israel to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty as a non-nuclear weapon state and also to the Chemical Weapons Convention, and will continue to do so.

Kashmir

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in India and Pakistan on the situation in Kashmir; what steps his Department is taking in support of a bilateral resolution between India and Pakistan; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 9 February 2009
	 My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary last discussed the situation in Kashmir with Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on 14 January 2009 and with Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi on 26 November 2008. Our policy towards Kashmir has not changedwe continue to encourage both Pakistan and India to seek a lasting resolution to the issue of Kashmir, which takes into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
	Through the Conflict Prevention Programme, the Government fund a number of projects designed to support efforts to facilitate dialogue, address the causes and impact of conflict and create improvements in the quality of life experienced by Kashmiris. We are supporting capacity-building and skills training for non-governmental organisations on both sides of the Line of Control, funding media projects that bring Indian and Pakistani journalists together, and helping with curriculum design that promotes a modern approach to education.

Kosovo: Politics and Government

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has written to Prime Minister Thai warmly congratulating him on the first anniversary of Kosovo's independence, and has made a statement to the press.
	In its first year, Kosovo's leaders have made significant progress in demonstrating their commitment to implementing Ahtisaari's Comprehensive Settlement Proposal. Since the largely peaceful transition to independence last February, a new constitution has been brought into force, important legislation has been created to protect communities within Kosovo, the EU's Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), has deployed across Kosovo and the Kosovo security force has been created. Throughout this, Kosovo's Government have tackled obstacles and worked constructively with international partners.
	Prime Minister Thai has announced the Kosovo Government's priorities for 2009: creating opportunities for capital investment and jobs, modernising Kosovo's infrastructure, improving education and the health service and creating a cleaner environment. These are key goals, and there is other important work to do too: improving outreach to communities, for which a successful outcome of the programme to devolve competences to representative local government is important, and working together with EULEX to tackle rule of law issues.

Legal Opinion

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was of external legal services provided to his Department in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The amount spent by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on legal fees in respect of counsel and solicitors in private practice by way of disbursements via the Treasury Solicitor (the bulk of our external legal costs) in each of the past five years is as follows:
	
		
			
			 2003-04 237,273.32 
			 2004-05 331,731.68 
			 2005-06 350,693.31 
			 2006-07 409,173.17 
			 2007-08 223,028.63 
		
	
	The FCO does not hold information on aggregate amounts of other external fees.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports the Government has received on war crimes allegedly committed by Hamas during Operation Cast Lead; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We know that Hamas deliberately targets Israeli civilians. We have repeatedly condemned such attacks and for years we have classed the military wing of Hamas as a terrorist group.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the number of civilians who were allegedly  (a) killed and  (b) injured (i) in booby-trapped houses and (ii) by bombs placed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip during the recent hostilities; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health (as at 5 February 2009) between 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009 1,440 Palestinians were killed during the recent conflict in Gaza, of whom 431 were children and 114 were women.
	The number of injuries stands at 5,380, of whom 1,872 are children and 800 are women.
	We are unable to verify these figures or who was responsible when these deaths or injuries occurred.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the number of  (a) rockets and  (b) mortar shells fired at Israel since 18 January 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: As at 9 February 2009, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, over 30 rockets, mortar shells and Grad missiles have been fired at Israel since the 18 January 2009.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the presence in the Gaza Strip of Iranian-made weapons; what assessment he has made of such reports; and what assessment he has made of the extent of the  (a) cognisance of and  (b) involvement in such activity by the Iranian Government.

David Miliband: Due to the sensitive nature of the reporting concerned we are unable to comment on this matter in detail.
	However, we have long had serious concerns about the support that Iran provides in the form of funding, training and arms supplies to groups which are undermining peace in the Middle East through violence, including Hamas. Such support is unacceptable and only serves to undermine regional security. We hope that Iran will instead give political and diplomatic support to the Palestinian Authority in its attempts to build institutions and improve security.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made a recent assessment of the references to Jewish people in the Hamas Charter in relation to the political situation in Gaza.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 10 February 2009
	We have made no recent assessment of the Hamas Charter. We have long been clear that there are significant aspects of the Hamas Charter, its policy and its action which we completely deplore.
	The Government condemn all acts of racism, anti-Semitism and religious intolerance. We are fully committed to tackling these manifestations of hatred. That is why we extended the scope of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to cover religiously as well as racially aggravated offences.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the grade and salary range was of each member of his Department's staff seconded to support the Quartet Middle East Envoy in  (a) 2007 and  (b) 2008; how many such staff at each grade and salary range will be so seconded in 2009; how much his Department spent on such staff in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has seconded: one higher executive officer equivalent (salary range 23,157 to 31,495); one Grade 7 equivalent (salary range 38,852 to 53,783); and one senior civil servant (salary range 57,300 to 116,000) to work in Tony Blair's office between 2007-08. This is not set to change in 2009. The FCO is funding their salaries.
	A locally engaged secondee to the Office of the Quartet Representative in Jerusalem from October 2007 to August 2008 was also funded through the Conflict Prevention Pool at a cost of 30,874. The Department for International Development also funds a secondee to provide expert governance analysis.

Middle East: Women

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken to promote the inclusion of women in conflict resolution and peace building in Israel and Palestine as provided for under UN Security Council Resolution 1325; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: In both international organisations and at local levels, the UK remains a leading supporter of women's roles in delivering sustainable peace and security. We led the call for the adoption of both UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and the follow on resolution UNSCR 1820 and continue to support the inclusion of language that reaffirms the importance of UNSCR 1325 in UN peacekeeping mandates.
	In Israel and Palestine, we have supported organisations working to promote women's roles in political processes and their ability to influence public policy.

Pakistan: Foreign Relations

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the government of Pakistan on the death of Major General Amir Faisal Alavi (Ret'd); and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has received a letter dated 23 January 2009 from a member of Major General Alavi's family, asking the FCO to register an interest in this case with the Pakistani authorities. We are seeking further information and will follow up on that basis.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what safeguards are in place to ensure that financial aid provided by the Government to Gaza is not used by Hamas  (a) to procure weapons and  (b) for any other military purpose.

Bill Rammell: It is vital that aid reaches the people in Gaza who need it and we take any diversion of aid very seriously. There are well developed international mechanisms for the delivery of aid in Gaza, principally through the UN Relief and Works Agency and the World Food Programme. The UK ensures, when deciding which humanitarian agencies to fund, that robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks are in place and that the organisations have experience of operating in Gaza to minimise any misappropriation of aid.

Persian Gulf: Politics and Government

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on the sovereignty of the three islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa in the Persian Gulf.

Bill Rammell: The UK regards this dispute as a matter for resolution between the countries concerned.

Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 25 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 1208-09W, on redundancy, what estimate he has made of the annual payroll savings resulting from staff exit schemes in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07,  (c) 2007-08 and  (d) 2008-09, excluding the cost of severance packages; and what estimate he has made of such savings to be accrued by his Department in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 5 February 2009
	 The annual payroll savings resulting from departures under staff exit schemes in 2007-08 were 5.7 million and in 2008-09 3.5 million. Complete records are not held centrally for 2005-06 or 2006-07 and to obtain them would incur disproportionate cost.
	The figures given for severance commitments in my answer of 25 November 2008 represented the total cost to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (to be paid out over periods of up to 10 years following the departure date) of all the severance packages agreed each year.
	Reliable estimates of the balance between cost and savings of these departures would require calculating the annual payments and foregone salary up to age 60 for each member of staff who left under the schemes between 2005 and 2009. This would incur disproportionate cost.
	All severance packages authorised under our early retirement schemes were calculated in strict accordance with the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not plan any large-scale exit schemes for the years 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Somalia: Armed Conflict

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the security situation in the Somali capital in the light of reports that Islamist forces have entered the city.

David Miliband: Although still fragile, security in the Somali capital appears to have improved since Ethiopia withdrew its troops and some displaced people are returning to the city. Some of the forces now in Mogadishu have been described as Islamist, but only a small number are extremist anti-Government fighters, some of whom are known as the Shabaab.

South Africa: Entry Clearances

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from the South African Government on proposed visa requirements for South African citizens visiting the UK.

Bill Rammell: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has received no representations from the South African Government on the proposed visa requirements for South African citizens visiting the UK. In response to the decision to impose a visa regime on South Africa, the South African Government have noted their respect for the UK's sovereign right to make this decision and its commitment to continued co-operation on migration issues of mutual concern.

Spain: Overseas Residence

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens were registered as resident in Spain in each of the last 10 years.

Caroline Flint: The following figures are official figures obtained from the Spanish National Institute of Statistics for the number of British nationals registered with their local council. A large number of British residents, both full-time and part-time, do not register with either their local consulate or with the Spanish authorities. However, we estimate that there are currently in the region of one million British nationals living in Spain for all or part of the year.
	
		
			   Number 
			 1998 69,818 
			 1999 76,874 
			 2000 86,043 
			 2001 99,803 
			 2002 119,859 
			 2003 161,507 
			 2004 174,810 
			 2005 227,187 
			 2006 274,722 
			 2007 314,951

Sri Lanka

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what  (a) meetings and  (b) other contacts he has had with representatives of the Sri Lankan Government in 2009.

Bill Rammell: On 30 January 2009, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary telephoned President Rajapakse to discuss the current situation in Sri Lanka and to reiterate his call for a humanitarian ceasefire. Officials from our High Commission hold regular talks with the Sri Lankan Government.

Sri Lanka: Armed Conflict

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his Sri Lankan counterpart regarding the reports of high civilian casualties in the ongoing operations in the north of the country.

David Miliband: I made it clear in my written ministerial statement of 21 January 2009,  Official Report, column 29WS, that the Government are deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka and the growing number of internally displaced persons.
	In that statement, and in subsequent discussions with the Sri Lankan President and Foreign Minister, I have urged repeatedly for the Sri Lankan Government to call an immediate humanitarian ceasefire so that civilians have the opportunity to move away from the conflict area and humanitarian assistance can be safely delivered.

Sri Lanka: Storms

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his UN Security Council counterparts on a full UN needs assessment of the Vanni area in Sri Lanka following Cyclone Nisha in November 2008; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK supports a full independent needs assessment mission to northern Sri Lanka. We are pressing the Sri Lankan Government at the highest level to allow this. We also regularly discuss the situation in Sri Lanka with other members of the UN Security Council.

Sudan: Politics and Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to monitor the political situation in the Nuba Mountains; and what steps his Department is taking to support the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in the region.

Gillian Merron: Our embassy in Khartoum monitors the situation in the Nuba Mountains through its contacts with the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), the Government of Sudan and both parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the National Congress Party and the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement, and other contacts within Sudan including the Assessment and Evaluation Commission (AEC).
	We are supporting implementation of the CPA in the region through active participation in the Three Areas Working Group of the AEC, which visited South Kordofan, including the Nuba Mountains, in November 2008. We and other donors are providing funding for community based peace building efforts in the region.

Tony Blair

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2009,  Official Report, column 893W, on Tony Blair, how much expenditure has been  (a) incurred by and  (b) reimbursed to the Quartet Representative in each year since his appointment.

Bill Rammell: We do not directly oversee or reimburse expenses incurred by the Quartet Representative.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has seconded: one higher executive officer equivalent (salary range 23,157 to 31, 495); one Grade 7 equivalent (salary range 38,852 to 53,783); and one senior civil servant (salary range 57,300 to 116,000) to work in Tony Blair's office between 2007-2008. This is not set to change in 2009. The FCO is funding their salaries.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent proposals the UK has put forward to resolve the political situation in Zimbabwe; and what plans he has to place the situation in Zimbabwe on the formal agenda of the UN Security Council.

David Miliband: On 30 January, the MDC announced the acceptance of the power sharing accord brokered at the SADC summit on 26 January. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary issued a statement in response on 30 January.
	We have always said that we can not see how a Government who include Mugabe can work. But we have also been clear that it is up to Zimbabweans to decide their own future. Our hope is that the parties can make the agreed work. We will judge the new Government on their actions. In common with other members of the international community, we will be looking for the Government to demonstrate, through their actions, a commitment to reform.
	We would expect, in the coming days and weeks, to see the release of political prisoners, an immediate end to political violence and intimidation, the repeal of repressive legislation, the appointment of a credible finance team, and a clear roadmap to the next national elections. Our formal engagement, including the provision of donor support and the continuation of our efforts to encourage increased UN engagement, will depend on how the Government meet these expectations.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the Government have had with the new unity government of Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The new unity Government were sworn in on 13 February 2009. Our engagement with the new Government, including the provision of donor support, will be dependent on the how the new Government demonstrate, through their actions, a commitment to change and reform.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Death: Alcoholic Drinks

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many  (a) males and  (b) females in each age group in each region died from an alcohol-related illness in 2007.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated February 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many (a) males and (b) females in each age group in each region died from an alcohol-related illness in 2007. (255200)
	The table attached provides the number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause in each government office region in England, for (a) males and (b) females, by age group, in 2007.
	
		
			  Table 1. Number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause of death( 1) , government office regions in England,( 2)  sex and age group,( 3)  2007( 4) 
			  Deaths 
			  Sex  Area  15 to 34  35 to 54  55 to 74  75+  Total 
			 Male North East 12 136 125 19 292 
			  North West 36 395 361 54 846 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 18 192 199 28 437 
			  East Midlands 8 128 149 33 318 
			  West Midlands 17 241 225 39 522 
			  East of England 12 149 161 37 360 
			  London 19 211 209 38 477 
			  South East 12 222 294 56 584 
			  South West 14 167 184 35 400 
			
			 Female North East 10 77 60 16 163 
			  North West 18 214 195 37 464 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 8 84 113 33 238 
			  East Midlands 14 81 84 16 195 
			  West Midlands 11 102 142 32 287 
			  East of England 6 77 86 44 213 
			  London 7 97 96 27 227 
			  South East 3 113 138 55 309 
			  South West 10 62 105 32 209 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-10 codes, are shown in box 1 following. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2008. (3) There were no deaths in the age group one to 14. (4) All figures are for deaths registered in 2007. 
		
	
	
		
			  Box 1: Alcohol-related causes of deathInternational Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) 
			  Cause of death  ICD-10 code(s) 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol F10 
			 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol G31.2 
			 Alcoholic polyneuropathy G62.1 
			 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy I42.6 
			 Alcoholic gastritis K29.2 
			 Alcoholic liver disease K70 
			 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified K73 
			 Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (excl. Biliary cirrhosis) K74 (excl. K74.3-K74.5) 
			 Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis K86.0 
			 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X45 
			 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X65 
			 Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent Y15

Death: Clostridium Difficile

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many deaths of  (a) males and  (b) females in each age group where clostridium difficile was recorded as a cause of death took place in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths of  (a) males and  (b) females in each age group where Clostridium difficile was recorded as a cause of death took place in each of the last five years. (257178)
	The attached tables provide the number of deaths where Clostridium difficile was mentioned on the death certificate, either as the underlying cause (table 7) or as a contributing factor (table 2) for  (a) males and  (b) females, by age group for 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1. Deaths with an underlying cause of Clostridium difficile( 1) , by age group and sex, England and Wales( 2) , 2003-07( 3) 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Age  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 45 0 2 0 0 2 2 1 9 3 5 
			 45-54 2 2 3 1 6 9 10 8 8 13 
			 55-64 6 17 19 12 20 23 27 38 51 46 
			 65-74 39 49 37 63 81 104 150 168 163 207 
			 75-84 116 223 185 284 301 465 463 785 595 829 
			 85+ 135 377 189 436 265 785 519 1,312 609 1,527 
			 (1) Identified using the methodology described in Office for National Statistics: Report: Deaths involving Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 2001-2005. Health Statistics Quarterly 33,71-75. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2. Deaths where Clostridium difficile was mentioned as a contributory factor( 1,2) , by age group and sex, England and Wales( 3) , 2003-07( 4) 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Age  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 45 1 6 1 3 4 4 3 21 10 12 
			 45-54 7 4 9 6 11 19 22 18 27 35 
			 55-64 12 27 29 27 49 41 86 84 157 134 
			 65-74 93 86 97 118 168 190 339 333 442 457 
			 75-84 261 410 348 534 594 851 1,001 1,446 1,338 1,742 
			 85+ 254 643 326 740 498 1,328 961 2,166 1,247 2,723 
			 (1) Identified using the methodology described in Office for National Statistics: Report: Deaths involving Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 2001-2005. Health Statistics Quarterly 33, 71-75. (2) Figures presented in table 2 include those where Clostridium difficile was recorded as the underlying cause (table 1). (3) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Death: Infectious Diseases

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many death certificates were issued in respect of deceased  (a) men and  (b) women which cited healthcare-associated infections as the underlying cause of death in each year since 2003, broken down by (i) age group and (ii) type of infection.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated February 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many death certificates were issued in respect of deceased (a) men and (b) women which cited (i) healthcare-associated infections as the underlying cause of death in each year since 2003, broken down by (i) age group and (ii) type of infection. (257555)
	There is currently no official definition of deaths from healthcare associated infection. The attached tables provide the number of deaths where  Clostridium difficile (table 1) and Meticillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (table 2), two specific types of healthcare associated infection, were mentioned on the death certificate as the underlying cause for (a) men and (b) women, by age group for 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Deaths with an underlying cause of Clostridium difficile,( 1)  by age group and sex, England and Wales,( 2)  2003-07( 3) 
			  Deaths 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Age  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 45 0 2 0 0 2 2 1 9 3 5 
			 45-54 2 2 3 1 6 9 10 8 8 13 
			 55-64 6 17 19 12 20 23 27 38 51 46 
			 65-74 39 49 37 63 81 104 150 168 163 207 
			 75-84 116 223 185 284 301 465 463 785 595 829 
			 85+ 135 377 189 436 265 785 519 1,312 609 1,527 
			 (1) Identified using the methodology described in Office for National Statistics: Report: Deaths involving  Clostridium difficile: England and Wales, 2001-2005. Health Statistics Quarterly 33,71-75. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Deaths with an underlying ca use of Meticillin-re sistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA),( 1)  by age group and sex, England and Wales,( 2)  2003-07( 3) 
			  Deaths 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Age  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 45 11 11 20 9 11 13 11 10 18 10 
			 45-54 10 6 8 10 9 9 12 11 7 5 
			 55-64 14 15 21 13 30 8 36 18 23 19 
			 65-74 47 42 52 27 64 30 63 42 56 33 
			 75-84 118 69 124 90 129 110 153 107 140 76 
			 85+ 73 75 82 91 111 118 139 105 131 112 
			 (1) Identified using the methodology described in Office for National Statistics: Report: Deaths involving  MRSA: England and Wales, 2001-2005. Health Statistics Quarterly 33,76-81. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Death: Weather

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many excess winter deaths occurred in  (a) Eastbourne and  (b) East Sussex in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated February 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many excess winter deaths occurred in (a) Eastbourne and (b) East Sussex in each of the last 10 years. (257087)
	Estimates of excess winter deaths are based on the difference between the number of deaths during the four winter months (December to March) and the average number of deaths during the preceding four months (August to November) and the following four months (April to July). The table attached provides the number of excess winter deaths that occurred in (a) Eastbourne local authority district and (b) East Sussex county for the years 1997/98 to 2006/07 (the latest figures available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Excess winter deaths,( 1)  Eastbourne local authority district and East Sussex county,( 2)  1997-98 to 2006-07( 3) 
			  Deaths (persons) 
			  Winter  Eastbourne  East Sussex 
			 1997-98 80 260 
			 1998-99 90 410 
			 1999-2000 180 740 
			 2000-01 40 320 
			 2001-02 70 300 
			 2002-03 90 220 
			 2003-04 80 480 
			 2004-05 100 360 
			 2005-06 70 480 
			 2006-07 70 250 
			 (1) The estimated number of excess winter deaths is the difference between the number of deaths during the four winter months (December to March) and the average number of deaths during the preceding four months (August to November) and the following four months (April to July). Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2008. (3) Figures are based on deaths occurring in each month.

Debts

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much household debt there was in each  (a) parliamentary constituency,  (b) county and  (c) Government office region in September (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2007 and (iv) 2008.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question on how much household debt there was in each  (a) parliamentary constituency,  (b) county and  (c) Government region in September (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2007 and (iv) 2008. (255852)
	In the UK National Accounts the most appropriate measure of household debt is the total financial liabilities of the Household and Non Profit Institutions Serving Households (NPISH) combined sector. It is not possible to split the sectors, NPISH includes for example, charities, trade unions and churches, their liabilities are small in relation to the total.
	Data for the total financial liabilities of the Household and NPISH sector only exists at a UK national level. There is no breakdown available at a  (a) parliamentary constituency,  (b) county, or a  (c) Government region level.
	
		
			  Total financial liabilities of the Household and NPISH sector 
			billion 
			  September  
			 2005 1,232 
			 2006 1,372 
			 2007 1,503 
			 2008 1,568 
			  Sources:  United Kingdom Economic Accounts, Quarter 3 2008 www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=1904

Departmental Buildings

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) display energy certificates and  (b) advisory reports for public buildings issued in respect of each property occupied by (i) the Cabinet Office and (ii) its agency.

Tom Watson: Copies of the display energy certificate and advisory reports have been placed in the Library.

Departmental Foreign Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed in No. 10 Downing Street;
	(2)  how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed by his Department.

Tom Watson: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. Checks on nationality are carried out on recruitment to the Cabinet Office. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the initial estimated  (a) cost and  (b) delivery date was of each ICT project initiated by the Cabinet Office in each year since 1997; what the (i) outturn cost and (ii) completion date was of each such project subsequently completed; which contractors were hired for each project; and how much has been paid to each contractor in respect of each project to date.

Tom Watson: The following table lists the major ICT projects that have been undertaken by my Department.
	
		
			  Project  Start year  Estimated cost ( million)  Estimated delivery date  Outturn cost ( million)  Outturn delivery date  Main contractor 
			 Flex transformation 2007 3.16 July 2008 Not yet complete Not yet complete Fujitsu 
			 HR/Finance/Procurement Shared Services 2007 8.3 May 2009 Not yet complete Not yet complete DWP 
			 Government Gateway, Release 2.2 2007 2.53 April 2008 2.53 May 2008 Atos Origin 
			 Government Gateway, Release 2.3 2008 1.2 July 2008 1.2 July 2008 Atos Origin 
			 Government Gateway, business continuity 2007 2.7 April 2008 2.7 April 2008 Atos Origin 
			 Government Gateway Strategic Support 2006 4.3 April 2008 4.3 April 2008 Atos Origin 
			 ISAAC 2005 2.9 June 2007 2.9 July 2007 Hedra 
			 e-RM 2005 3.7 March 2008 3.7 March 2008 Meridio HP Services 
		
	
	On SCOPE, I refer you to the answer given to the hon. Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Grieve) on 4 November 2008,  Official Report, column 360W.
	We have only included major projects in our response whose value exceeds 1 million. There are many other smaller lower cost projects, for example, to cover software development, hardware updates, infrastructure changes, but to collect all the requisite data would be at disproportionate cost.
	Responsibility for the Government Gateway was transferred to DWP with effect from 1 April 2008.
	Prior to 2005, the information requested is not readily available from the Department's accounting systems. Also payment to individual contractors is not readily available from the Department's accounting systems. This information is therefore available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Impact Assessments

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many equalities impact assessments his Department has undertaken in the last 12 month period for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of such assessments.

Tom Watson: EIAs are an integral part of the policy making process, not an additional or separate exercise and so the number of EIAs is not available. A cost estimate would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Manpower

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people the Cabinet Office employs.

Tom Watson: Cabinet office staff numbers are published quarterly and can be found on the Office for National Statistics website here:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/Table6AllDepts.xls
	The most recent quarterly publication has been placed in the Library.

Departmental Mobile Phones

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the answer of 14 July 2008,  Official Report, column 154W, on departmental telephones, how many Cabinet Office mobile telephones procured for official use through the Vodafone contracts have been replaced due to  (a) loss,  (b) theft or  (c) damage in the last 18 months.

Kevin Brennan: The Cabinet Office has recorded that of the mobile phones procured for official use under the Vodafone contracts, 11 have been reported lost, two stolen and 14 damaged during the past 18 months.

Departmental Planning Permission

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what planning applications the Cabinet Office has made in the last 18 months.

Kevin Brennan: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office to him on 19 June 2008,  Official Report, column 1186W.

Departmental Plants

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how much his Department has spent on potted plants in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how much the Cabinet Office has spent on flowers in each of the last three years;
	(3)  how much has been spent on  (a) pot plants and  (b) cut flowers for No. 10 Downing Street in each of the last three years.

Kevin Brennan: The Prime Minister's Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office (Gillian Merron) on 17 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1131W and to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office (Mr. Watson) on 11 March 2008,  Official Report, column 324W.

Departmental Procurement

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his Department's  (a) procurement and  (b) tendering policy is in respect of social enterprises.

Kevin Brennan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by the then Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office (Phil Hope) on 4 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 2483-84W.

Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many and what proportion of  (a) UK nationals,  (b) people born in the UK,  (c) foreign nationals,  (d) non-UK EU nationals,  (e) EU A8 nationals and  (f) non-EU nationals of working age in the UK were in employment in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 February 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many and what proportion of (a) UK nationals, (b) people born in the UK, (c) foreign nationals, (d) non-UK EU nationals, (e) EU A8 nationals and (f) non-EU nationals of working age in the UK were in employment in the fourth quarter of 2008. (254174)
	The information requested is shown in the attached table. The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	The figures in the table are derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2007. They are not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release, or the migrant worker figures published every quarter, which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.
	
		
			  Employment levels and rates for working age( 1)  people, by nationality and country of birth three months ending December 2008: United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousands and percentage 
			   UK nationals  UK born  Non-UK nationals( 2)  Non-UK EU nationals  EU A8 nationals( 3)  Non-EU nationals 
			   No.  Rate (%)  No.  Rate (%)  No.  Rate (%)  No.  Rate (%)  No.  Rate (%)  No.  Rate (%) 
			 2008 Q4(4) *25,749 75 *24,372 75 *2,342 69 *1,052 77 **470 81 *1,290 63 
			 (1) Men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59. (2) Excludes those whose nationality was not known. (3) EU A8 comprises Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. (4 )Coefficients of Variation have been calculated as an indication of the quality of the estimates, as described below:  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV - for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical robustness  * 0 = CV 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 = CV 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 = CV 20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV = 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes. It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc).  Source: Labour Force Survey

Employment

Stephen Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) people born in the UK and  (b) migrant workers who were in employment in each month of 2008.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated February 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate he has made of the number of (a) people born in the UK and (b) migrant workers who were in employment in each month of 2008. (257518)
	The attached table provides estimated employment levels for UK born and non-UK born people, for each quarter in 2008. Monthly data is not available.
	The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	The figures in the table are derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2007. Consequently the estimates are not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release, or the migrant workers figures published every quarter, which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.
	
		
			  People aged 16 and over in employment by country of birth, three-month period ending March, June, September and December 2008, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand 
			  2008  UK born  Non-UK born  Total( 1) 
			 Q1 25,755 3,682 29,438 
			 Q2 25,759 3,714 29,475 
			 Q3 25,799 3,727 29,533 
			 Q4(2) *25,612 *3,823 *29,443 
			 (1) Includes those whose country of birth was not known. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality below.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV - for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Statistical robustness * 0 = CV 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 = CV 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 = CV 20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV = 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes.  Note: It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc.).  Source: Labour Force Survey.

Foreign Workers: EU Countries

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many migrant workers from each EU member state have  (a) entered and  (b) left the UK in each (i) month, (ii) quarter and (iii) year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many migrant workers from each EU Member State have  (a) entered and  (b) left the UK in each (i) month, (ii) quarter and (in) year since 1997. (250931)
	The International Passenger Survey (IPS) is the only source of information on people entering and leaving the UK. The sample size of the IPS means that we cannot provide the level of detail requested; however the attached table provides estimates of migration by EU citizens, which is stated as being for work purposes, for each year since 1997. Figures for A8 citizens arc identified separately in the table.
	Please note that the migration estimates provided only cover those visiting or leaving the UK for periods of twelve months or more. They do not include short-term migrants (i.e. those entering or leaving the UK for less than twelve months). Also note that not all those travelling for work related reasons will become migrant workers since they may not find work in the UK. Similarly, those who travel for other purposes may subsequently work and therefore become migrant workers.
	
		
			  Work related migration by EU citizens: United Kingdom 
			  T housand 
			Citizenship 
			British  EU15 (excluding British)  A8 
			   Reason for migration  Estimate  Percentage  Estimate  Percentage  Estimate  Percentage 
			  Inflow
			 1997 All reasons 90 8 62 15   
			  Work related 46 11 18 17   
			 
			 1998 All reasons 104 8 70 11   
			  Work related 54 11 33 17   
			 1999 All reasons 114 8 59 14   
			  Work related 55 10 32 17   
			 
			 2000 All reasons 98 9 59 12   
			  Work related 57 11 27 18   
			 
			 2001 All reasons 110 8 53 15   
			  Work related 52 11 32 21   
			 
			 2002 All reasons 96 10 55 15   
			  Work related 58 14 23 19   
			 
			 2003 All reasons 99 9 61 15   
			  Work related 45 12 34 22   
			 
			 2004 All reasons 84 8   49 17 
			  Work related 37 11  37 20 27 
			 
			 2005 All reasons 91 10   68 14 
			  Work related 48 13   61 15 
			 
			 2006 All reasons 77 11   81 14 
			  Work related 31 14   63 15 
			 
			 2007 All reasons 71 10 
			  Work related 32 12 
			  Outflow
			 1997 All reasons 135 7 32 16   
			  Work related 66 11 16 22   
			 
			 1998 All reasons 114 8 26 16   
			  Work related 47 10 16 18   
			 
			 1999 All reasons 115 7 47 13   
			  Work related 54 10 24 16   
			 
			 2000 All reasons 141 7 46 14   
			  Work related 68 10 24 19   
			 
			 2001 All reasons 133 7 40 15   
			  Work related 61 11 26 19   
			 
			 2002 All reasons 164 7 42 15   
			  Work related 75 10 24 19   
			 
			 2003 All reasons 170 7 42 20   
			  Work related 64 10 15 24   
			 
			 2004 All reasons 184 6   2 63 
			  Work related 63 9 
			 
			 2005 All reasons 174 7   15 29 
			  Work related 71 9   5 58 
			 
			 2006 All reasons 196 7   22 25 
			  Work related 81 9   11 37 
			 
			 2007 All reasons 159 6 
			  Work related 74 8 
		
	
	
		
			  Thousand 
			Rest of EU25 (excluding British)  A8  Rest of EU27 (excluding British) 
			   Reason for migration  Estimate  Percentage  Estimate  Percentage  Estimate  Percentage 
			  Inflow
			 1997 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 1998 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 1999 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 2000 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 2001 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 2002 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 2003 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 2004 All reasons 57 14 
			  Work related 20  
			 
			 2005 All reasons 51 14 
			  Work related 25 18 
			 
			 2006 All reasons 56 12 
			  Work related 21 17 
			 
			 2007 All reasons   103 12 69 13 
			  Work related   82 14 43 16 
			  Outflow
			 1997 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 1998 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 1999 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 2000 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 2001 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 2002 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 2003 All reasons   
			  Work related   
			 
			 2004 All reasons 32 15 
			  Work related 17 19 
			 
			 2005 All reasons 32 17 
			  Work related 16 20 
			 
			 2006 All reasons 37 16 
			  Work related 14 24 
			 
			 2007 All reasons   25 21 40 14 
			  Work related   12 30 22 19 
			  Note: Conditional formatting has been applied to the estimates and standard error percentages. A standard error of 20 per cent. has a white background, 20 per cent. but 25 per cent. has a white background but is in italics and 25 per cent. is in italics with a grey background. A migration figure with a standard error of 25 per cent. is not considered to be reliable. standard error % =  x 100 estimate

Government Departments: Disclosure of Information

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many unauthorised disclosures of information for each Government Department have been reported to the Cabinet Office in each of the last 10 years; in each case,  (a) what the nature of the information disclosed was,  (b) to whom the information was disclosed and  (c) what the post was of the person who disclosed the information; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: The total number of leaks recorded by Cabinet Office each year since 2005, when a central record was begun, is as follows:
	
		
			   Total number of leaks 
			 2005 78 
			 2006 98 
			 2007 50 
		
	
	Information for 2008 is currently being assessed. These numbers do not necessarily capture all instances of unauthorised disclosure across Government.
	It is for departmental permanent secretaries to take decisions on whether leak investigations into the unauthorised disclosure of information originating in their Departments should be carried out. It has been the policy of successive Administrations not to comment on security matters other than in exceptional circumstances when it is in the public interest to do so.

Government Information Services: Public Consultation

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the set-up costs of the website www.showusabetterway.co.uk were; what the  (a) operating and  (b) maintenance costs of the website were in the last 12 months; and how many hits the site received during the last 12 months.

Tom Watson: The Show Us A Better Way competition sought ideas from the public on how to reuse public information to better deliver public servicesthe best ones would get developed 'to the next level'. It was hosted online through:
	http://typepad.com
	The platform supported both:
	www.showusabetterway.com
	and
	www.buildingdemocracy.co.uk
	www.showusabetterway.com
	received 224,421 page views and
	www.buildingdemocracy.co.uk
	received 25,405 over their lifetime.
	The overall cost for developing the backend and designing the two sites was 9,223.75 (including COI fees of 650 and VAT at 17.5 per cent.). Operation and maintenance is done by existing civil servants within existing budgets: it takes very little time due to the blog structure. A years hosting cost $149.50.

Senior Civil Servants: Retirement

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of members of the Senior Civil Service will reach standard retirement age in the next five years.

Tom Watson: Of all SCS members in post as at 31 March 2008, 285 (6.8 per cent.) will reach the age of 65 (statutory retirement age) on or before 6 February 2014.

Job Vacancies

Mark Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his latest estimate is of the number of job vacancies in the economy; and what forecast he has made of the number of vacancies in the economy in October 2009.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated February 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the latest estimate is of the number of job vacancies in the British economy and what forecast has been made of the number of vacancies in the economy in October 2009. (258247)
	The latest, seasonally adjusted estimate of the number of vacancies in the United Kingdom was 504,000, for the 3 month period November 2008 to January 2009. The Office for National Statistics estimates the number of vacancies from the UK Vacancy Survey. No forecasts are made of future vacancy levels.

New Businesses

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many new businesses were registered in  (a) Braintree and  (b) England in the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated February 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what estimate has been made of the number of new businesses registered in (a) Braintree and (b) England in the last five years (256845).
	Annual statistics on births, deaths and survivals of businesses are available from the ONS release on Business Demography. The table below contains the latest annual estimates.
	
		
			  Business Births 
			   Braintree  England 
			 2003 720 236,220 
			 2004 810 248,450 
			 2005 750 241,410 
			 2006 700 225,120 
			 2007 830 266,165

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many non-departmental public bodies there have been in each year since 1980.

Tom Watson: This information is published in the annual Cabinet Office Public Bodies report. Copies are available from the Libraries of the House.

Non-profit Making Associations

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will update the Think Smart: think voluntary sector good practice guidance on procurement to include social enterprise.

Kevin Brennan: I have no plans to update the Think Smart: Think Voluntary Sector guidance. Although the title refers to the voluntary sector, the key messages embedded in the document of improving the participation of third sector organisations in public service contracting are relevant for all third sector organisations including social enterprises.

Public Sector: Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column 468W, on central government: manpower, which public sector bodies which were classified as central government for the purpose of employee headcounts were not included within the Civil Service as of  (a) April 1997 and  (b) the most recent date for which data are available.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated February 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning which public sector bodies were classified as central government for the purpose of employee headcounts, but were not included within the Civil Service as of (a) April 1997 and (b) the most recent date for which data is available.
	Detailed information about the public bodies surveyed as part of the 1997 data collection which were classified as central government for the purpose of employee headcounts, but not included within the Civil Service is not available.
	The most recent date for which estimates are available is September 2008. A full breakdown of public sector bodies not included within the Civil Service employee headcount is attached at Annex A.
	 Annex A
	Public Sector Bodies classified as Central Government (for the purpose of employee headcount) but not included within Civil Service.
	 September 2008
	HM Forces
	National Health ServiceScotland
	National Health ServiceWales
	National Health ServiceEngland
	PoliceEngland and Wales
	Central GovernmentNorthern Ireland
	Probation Service England and Wales
	 Other Central Government:
	Academy of St. Francis of Assisi
	ADT College
	AdvantageWest Midlands
	Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
	Arts and Humanities Research Council
	Arts Council of England (including all English Regional offices of The Arts Boards)
	Bacon College
	Bank of England
	Barrow Green Court
	Bexley Business Academy Ltd
	Big Lottery Fund (formerly New Opportunities Fund)
	Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
	Bord Gaidhlig Naa H-Alba (The Gaelic Development Agency)
	Botanies Trading Company Ltd
	BPEX
	BRB (Residuary) Limited
	Brit School for Performing Arts and Technology
	British Broadcasting Corporation including BBC Resources Ltd
	British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA)
	British Film institute
	British Film institute (Big Screen) Ltd including Connoisseur Video Ltd
	British Museum
	British Potato Council
	Brooke Weston Technology College
	Bwrdd Yr iaith Gymraeg
	Capital City Academy Trust
	Care Council for Wales
	Careers Scotland
	Child and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
	Children's Commissioner for Wales
	Churches Conservation Trust
	City Technology College Kinghurst
	Coal Authority
	Commission for Architecture and The Built Environment (GSCC)
	Commission for Equality and Human Rights
	Commission for Local Administration in Wales
	Commission for Local Administration England
	Commission for Rural Communities
	Commission for Social Care inspection
	Commonwealth War Graves Commission
	Community Development Foundation
	Competition Commission
	Competition Service
	Construction Industry Training Board
	Consumer Council for Postal Services
	Consumer Council for Water
	Countryside Council for Wales
	Criminal Cases Review Commission
	Crofters Commission
	Deer Commission for Scotland
	Diplomatic Service
	Dixon City Academy
	Djanogly City Academy Nottingham
	East Midlands Development Agency
	East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association
	East of England Development Agency (EEDA)
	EBLEX Ltd
	Economic and Social Research Council
	Electoral Commission
	Emmanuel College
	Engineering Construction industry Training Board
	English Heritage
	English Partnerships
	Film Council Ltd
	Food from Britain
	Football Licensing Authority
	Gangmasters Licensing Authority
	Gas and Electricity Consumer Council
	Geffrye Museum Trust Limited
	General Social Care Council (GSCC)
	Grace Academy
	Greater Manchester Museum of Science and Industry
	Greig City Academy
	Haberdashers Askes Hatcham College
	Harris Academy Merton
	Harris City Technology College
	Healthcare Commission
	Higher Education Funding Council for England
	Higher Education Funding Council for Wales
	Highland RFC Association
	Highlands and Islands Enterprise (including all Regions)
	Home-Grown Cereals Authority
	Horserace Betting Levy Board
	House of Commons (Staff)
	Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority
	Imperial War Museum
	Independent Housing Ombudsman
	Independent Living Funds
	Independent Police Complaints Commission
	Independent Safeguarding Authority
	Investors in People UK
	John Cabot City Technology College
	John Madejski Academy
	Joint Nature Conservation Committee
	Kings Academy
	Landau Forte College
	Learning and Skills Council
	Learning and Teaching Scotland
	Legal Services Commission
	Leigh City Technical College
	Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru
	Local Boundary Commission for Scotland
	Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales
	London 2012 Ltd
	London Thames Gateway Development Corporation
	Macmillan City Technical College
	Medical Research Council
	Mossbourne Academy
	National Army Museum
	National Audit Office
	National Biological Standards Board
	National College for School Leadership
	National Consumer Council including Ltd
	National Endowment for Science Technology and The Arts
	National Forest Company
	National Galleries of Scotland
	National Gallery
	National Heritage Memorial Fund
	National Institute of Adult Continuing Education
	National Library of Scotland
	National Lottery Commission
	National Museums and Galleries of Wales
	National Museums Liverpool
	National Museums of Scotland
	National Policing Improvement Agency
	National Portrait Gallery
	Natural England
	New Assembly Parliamentary Service
	NMSI Trading Ltd
	North Liverpool Academy
	North West Development Agency
	Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
	Office of The Immigration Services Commissioner
	Office of The information Commissioner
	Olympic Delivery Authority
	One Northeast
	Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council
	Partnership for Schools
	Passenger Focus
	Pensions Regulator
	Petchey Academy
	Plymouth Marine Laboratory
	Public Lending Right
	Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
	RBG Kew Enterprises Ltd
	Reserve Forces and Cadet Association for East Anglia
	Reserve Forces and Cadet Association for The New England and Isle of Man
	Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Greater London
	Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Wales
	Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Yorkshire and the Humber
	Royal Botanic Gardens
	Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
	Royal Household
	Royal Marines Museum
	Royal Naval Museum
	Royal Naval Submarine Museum
	S4C Masnachol Cyf including S4C Rhyngwladol Cyf, S4C2 and The Nursery Channel
	Scottish Children's Reporter Admin
	Scottish Enterprise
	Scottish Environment Protection Agency
	Scottish Funding Councils for Further and Higher Education
	Scottish Legal Aid Board
	Scottish Natural Heritage
	Scottish Parliament Corporate Body
	Scottish Police Services Authority
	Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
	Scottish Qualifications Authority
	Scottish Social Services Council
	Sea Fish industry Authority
	Sector Skills Development Agency
	Security Industry Authority
	Serious Organised Crime Agency
	Sir John Soane's Museum
	South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)
	South East Reserve Forces and Cadets Association
	South West of England Regional Development Agency
	sportscotland
	St. Paul's Academy
	Stockley Academy
	Student Loans Company Limited
	Teacher Training Agency
	Technology Strategy Board
	The Academy At Peckham
	The Arts Council of Wales Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru
	The Board of Science Museum
	The British Library
	The City Academy Bristol
	The City of London Academy
	The Design Council
	The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
	The English Sports Council including The English Sports Council
	The Environment Agency (including all Regional Divisions)
	The Forestry Commission including Forest Enterprise and Forest Research
	The Gambling Commission
	The Horniman Public Museum and Public Park Trust
	The Housing Corporation
	The London Academy
	The Museums Libraries and Archives Council
	The Natural Environment Research Council
	The Natural History Museum (including The Natural History Museum Trading Co Ltd)
	The Parole Board
	The Royal Air Force Museum
	The Royal Armouries
	The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
	The Royal Commission On The Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
	The Scottish Arts Council
	The Scottish Commission for The Regulation of Care
	The Skills Development Scotland
	The Sports Council for Wales
	The Standards Board for England
	The Standards Commission for Scotland
	The United Kingdom Sports Council
	The Wallace Collection
	The Water Industry Commissioner for Scotland
	The Wessex Reserve forces and Cadets Association
	Thomas Telford School
	Tourism Quality Services Ltd
	Trinity Academy
	Trustees for National Maritime Museum including National Maritime Museum Enterprises Ltd
	Trustees of the Tate Gallery
	United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
	United Learning Trust Academies
	Unity City Academy Trust
	V and A Enterprises Ltd
	Valuation Tribunal Service
	Victoria and Albert Museum
	VisitBritain
	VisitScotland
	Walsall City Academy Trust Ltd
	Welsh Fourth Channel Authority
	West London Academy Ltd
	West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadet Association
	West Northamptonshire Development Corporations
	Westminster Academy
	Yorkshire Forward
	Youth Justice Board for England and Wales

Public Sector: Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 468-73W, on central government: manpower, what changes have been made to the methodology for calculating the Civil Service headcount since May 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated February 2009:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question concerning what changes have been made to the methodology for calculating the Civil Service headcount since May 1997.
	Estimates for the home civil service from Q3 2004 onwards are taken from the Civil Service element of the Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey (QPSES). Estimates prior to this date are based on results from the Civil Service Statistics publication (Mandate collection) available for 1 April and 1 October. A quarterly path back to 1991 was estimated by Office for National Statistics (ONS) using standard procedures.
	In 2005, ONS, in collaboration with other departments and the devolved administrations, implemented major improvements to public sector employment estimates. Standard definitions for public sector employment across all departmental statistics were agreed and a single definitive set of quarterly public sector employment estimates introduced.
	The following are changes in definition that were implemented as part of the transition to QPSES. To maintain consistency with Cabinet Office no revisions were made to previously published statistics.
	Self-employed, contract workers and agency temporary workers should be excluded from estimates.
	Workers who only work part of the year (for example, those on casual or annualised hours contracts) should be counted at the time they are being paid for  if they are not working but are still being paid they should be included. If they are not working and not being paid at the reference point they should be excluded from the statistics.
	Employees on different types of leave should be treated in the following way in headcounts:
	All those on paid maternity leave should be included.
	All those on paid sick leave (being paid either in full or part) should be included.
	All those on paid special leave should be included.
	Those employees on short-term unpaid leave should be included if they are on leave for a period for less than their pay period  they should be included even if they are absent on the reference date. If they are off for a period longer than their pay period then they should be excluded (for example, someone on a career break).
	
		
			  Unemployed people aged 16-24, by region Quarter 3 1997 to 2006; all calendar quarters from quarter 4 2006 to quarter 4 2008 United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand 
			North East  North West  Yorkshire and Humberside  East Midlands  West Midlands  Eastern  London 
			 1997 Q3 39 93 60 42 74 54 118 
			 1998 Q3 34 87 67 44 61 46 105 
			 1999 Q3 44 84 56 53 65 46 85 
			 2000 Q3 45 74 61 44 63 35 99 
			 2001 Q3 29 74 49 40 59 54 99 
			 2002 Q3 28 69 63 40 73 47 97 
			 2003 Q3 39 80 52 43 74 46 105 
			 2004 Q3 36 76 60 40 80 48 118 
			 2005 Q3 44 78 64 42 63 49 117 
			 2006 Q3 42 96 81 62 86 59 122 
			  
			 2006 Q4 29 81 71 59 72 49 99 
			  
			 2007 Q1 33 78 67 61 68 51 93 
			 2007 Q2 37 78 60 49 72 51 96 
			 2007 Q3 40 106 68 66 85 72 104 
			 2007 Q4 29 87 64 51 54 48 100 
			  
			 2008 Q1 30 82 52 56 64 54 95 
			 2008 Q2 36 85 72 57 64 58 96 
			 2008 Q3 50 120 95 69 82 63 116 
			 2008 Q4 (***)42 (**)112 (***)72 (***)50 (**)80 (***)63 (**)110 
		
	
	
		
			  Thousand 
			South East  South West  Wales  Scotland  Northern Ireland  Total 
			 1997 Q3 74 40 38 69 23 724 
			 1998 Q3 74 47 43 72 19 690 
			 1999 Q3 64 37 36 63 (1) 651 
			 2000 Q3 58 38 39 64 (1) 631 
			 2001 Q3 64 39 32 69 20 620 
			 2002 Q3 74 41 30 72 17 6-19 
			 2003 Q3 75 36 34 70 (1) 669 
			 2004 Q3 68 40 36 62 (1) 681 
			 2005 Q3 01 46 37 66 (1) 701 
			 2006 Q3 88 49 38 60 (1) 797 
			 
			 2006 Q4 72 45 39 50 (1) 676 
			 
			 2007 Q1 73 51 33 51 (1) 669 
			 2007 Q2 75 39 42 62 (1) 675 
			 2007 Q3 98 53 38 60 (1) 806 
			 2007 Q4 92 34 30 57 (1) 663 
			 
			 2008 Q1 70 40 28 56 (1) 642 
			 2008 Q2 76 35 29 54 (1) 676 
			 2008 Q3 96 52 49 55 (1) 864 
			 2008(2) Q4 (**)92 (***)48 (***)49 (***)55 (****) (*)793 
			 (1 )Sample size too small for reliable estimate. (2 )Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates, as described below:  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV  for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key  Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical robustness  * 0 = CV 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 = CV 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 = CV 20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV = 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes and have not been provided. It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc).  Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Suicide: Young People

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people aged 16 years or under have committed suicide in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people aged 16 or under have committed suicide in each of the last 10 years. (252666)
	The table below provides the number of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death for people aged 16 years and under, from 1998 to 2007 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death( 1) , persons aged 16 years and under, England and Wales( 2) , 1998  to  2007( 3) 
			   Number 
			 1998 39 
			 1999 26 
			 2000 34 
			 2001 23 
			 2002 38 
			 2003 30 
			 2004 29 
			 2005 32 
			 2006 25 
			 2007 39 
			 (1) For persons aged 10 to 14 years, the cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes E950-E959 for the years 1998 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 for the years 2001 to 2007. For persons aged 15 years and over, the definition of suicide also includes deaths caused through undetermined intent, defined using the ICD-9 codes E980 -E989 excluding E988.8 for the years 1998 to 2000, and the ICD-10 codes Y10-Y34 (excluding where the coroners verdict was pending) for the years 2001 to 2007. Verdicts of suicide are not returned for children under the age of 10 years. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Unemployment: Essex

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many unemployed people there were in  (a) Braintree and  (b) Essex in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 23 February 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many unemployed people there were in (a) Braintree and (b) Essex in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent period for which figures are available. (256843)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Table 1 shows the number of people aged 16 and over, resident in (a) Braintree parliamentary constituency and (b) Essex who were unemployed in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2008.
	Estimates are provided for the 12 months ending in February 1997, from annual LFS, which is the only period covered by the survey in 1997, and for the 12 months ending in June 2008, from APS. The July 2007 to June 2008 APS dataset is the most recent for which figures are available.
	As the estimates for Essex are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty. Reliable estimates for the Braintree parliamentary constituency are not available.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of persons unemployed( 1)  resident in Braintree parliamentary constituency and county of Essex 
			  T housand 
			  12 months ending  Braintree  Essex 
			 February 1997 (3)__ 47 
			 June 2008(2) ****(3) ***33 
			 (1) Levels of unemployment are provided for persons aged 16 and over. The figures presented are weighted to population estimates published in 2007. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality as follows. (3) Figures are disclosive or statistically unreliable. The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV - for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV - for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical robustness  * 0 = CV 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 = CV 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 = CV 20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV = 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes.  Note: Sample size too small to provide estimates for lone fathers.  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Departmental Buildings

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) display energy certificates and  (b) advisory reports for public buildings issued in respect of each property occupied by (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies.

Si�n Simon: The Department will place in the Libraries a copy of the display energy certificates and their associated advisory reports in respect of each property occupied by the Department and its agencies that is required to have them.

Departmental Consultants

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the cost of his Department's contracts with management consultants has been since it was established.

Si�n Simon: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) was created by machinery of government changes at the end of June 2007. Information on the cost of the Department's contracts with management consultants before that date is available from the predecessor departments of DIUSthe Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
	The Department does not identify management consultancy separately from other consultancy and to disaggregate this information would incur a disproportionate cost.
	Departmental expenditure on total external consultancy is as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 2007-08 5.069 
			 2008-09 (1)2.521 
			 (1) up to 31 December 2008  Sources: 2007-08 figuresDepartmental Annual Report 2007-08 2008-09 figuresinternal accounting systems

Departmental Lobbying

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether Ministers in his Department received representations from  (a) Lord Moonie,  (b) Lord Taylor of Blackburn,  (c) Lord Snape and  (d) Lord Truscott in the last seven months.

Si�n Simon: None of the Ministers in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills received representations from Lord Moonie, Lord Taylor of Blackburn, Lord Snape or Lord Truscott in the last seven months.

Departmental Training

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department spent on digital media training courses provided by the Internet Advertising Bureau in 2008; how many such training sessions were held in 2008; and how many staff in his Department attended at least one such training course.

Si�n Simon: There is an in-house programme of training and coaching staff in the uses of digital media to improve working methods and communicate more effectively. No training has to date been delivered through the Internet Advertising Bureau.
	All internet advertising is commissioned and delivered through COI who are employed for their training and expertise in targeted internet advertising and government propriety issues.

Further Education: Health Education

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will take steps to encourage the dissemination of diet, lifestyle and health information through the further education sector.

Si�n Simon: The Further Education sector has a key role to play in improving the health and well-being of their learners, staff and their communities, in July 2008, we announced cross-government support for a new 'National Healthy FE' initiative. This is now being taken forward through the development of a Healthy FE Framework by a sector-led Steering Group.
	The Framework will provide a range of materials and guidance to support the sector in promoting all aspects of health and well-being, including guidance on healthy eating; physical activity; emotional well-being; sexual health; drugs, alcohol and tobacco. It will build upon what a number of colleges and providers have already been actively encouraging, by providing them with more tools and support.
	We plan to have the Framework infrastructure in place by September 2009.

Further Education: Religious Practice

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he is taking to improve pastoral care in the further education sector.

Si�n Simon: We are helping the Further Education system deliver a more personalised learning experience for each learner, in ways that help learners acquire the skills and ability they need to succeed and thrivepersonally and economically. That includes guidance titled 'Supporting Learners to Succeed' which is available through the Learning and Skills Improvement Service Excellence Gateway. The guidance helps providers develop their pastoral support systems and processes to improve the emotional, social and economic well-being of all learners.
	In addition, the White Paper Further Education: Raising Skills Improving Life Chances (March 2006) recognised that when learners participate in decisions affecting their learning they are likely to play a more active part in improving the quality of provision. All providers are expected to have in place a Learner Involvement Strategy. The pastoral support guidance includes examples of how providers can encourage and motivate learners which in turn will help providers to further develop their strategies for engaging learners.

Graduates: Architecture

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the availability of jobs for UK graduates in architecture.

David Lammy: Typically, architecture graduates have high employment rates with the latest available data from the 'Destination of Leavers from Higher Education 2006-07' showing 93 per cent. of those with degrees in 'architecture, building and planning' in employment or further study six months after graduating. However, we recognise that the graduate labour market will not be immune from the effects of the economic downturn. Although indications suggest that overall vacancies are likely to fall, there will still be growth areas. Graduates will need to consider a wide range of jobs; look for jobs earlier; and do research on potential employers to maximise their chances of success. We are also considering a number of ways to provide real help and support for new graduates including new opportunities for internships; promoting volunteering; the development of entrepreneurial skills; and increasing the availability over the next two years of Professional and Career Development Loans.

Higher Education: Admissions

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of  (a) male and  (b) female students attend a higher education institution to study on a (i) full-time and (ii) part-time course.

David Lammy: The latest available figures are shown in the table. Comparable figures for the 2008-09 academic year will be available in January 2010.
	
		
			  Enrolments( 1)  by Gender and mode of study English higher education institutions: Academic year 2007-08 
			  Gender  Mode of Study  Number  Percentage 
			 Male Full-time 553,435 67 
			  Part-time 271,100 33 
			  Total 824,540 100 
			 
			 Female Full-time 665,365 61 
			  Part-time 432,185 39 
			  Total 1,097,550 100 
			 
			 Indeterminate(2) Full-time 20 19 
			  Part-time 75 81 
			  Total 95 100 
			 
			 Total Full-time 1,218,820 63 
			  Part-time 703,365 37 
			  Total 1,922,185 100 
			 (1) Covers enrolments of all domiciles and levels of study. (2) 'Indeterminate' gender means unable to be classified as either male or female and is not related in any way to trans-gender. This field was introduced to the HESA student record for this first time in 2007-08.  Note:  Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and have been rounded to the nearest five, so components may not sum to totals. Percentages are based on unrounded figures.  Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

Higher Education: Women

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of female students with children attending a higher education institution are part-time students;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of students attending a higher education institution are women with children.

David Lammy: The information asked in both questions is not held centrally.

Higher Education: Women

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what research his Department has undertaken on women who wish to study for part-time degrees.

David Lammy: The Department has not commissioned research which is focused solely on women who wish to study for part-time degrees. However, the Department has commissioned the following projects which contain substantial information on this group:
	University is Not Just for Young People: Working Adults' Perceptions of and Orientation to Higher Education, (DIUS Research Report 08 06), published in April 2008, which studied the attitudes and intentions towards HE of working adults (aged 22 to 55 with no university level qualification).
	Alternative Routes Into and Pathways Through HE, publication expected early spring, which studied people who had entered HE through routes other than direct entry from school with A levels, or who were studying in modes other than full-time for a first degree in an HE institution. This included a substantial number of women studying part-time for a degree.
	 Note
	Futuretrack: Part-time Students, a project jointly funded with Higher Education Careers Service Unit (HECSU) which is a longitudinal study tracking people studying part-time. The work has also involved a literature review of part-time study and analysis of HESA records. The final report will not be published until 2011, though an interim report is expected in spring this year.

Post Study Work Scheme

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Post Study Work Scheme in achieving its objectives; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	As with all new policy, the Tier 1 post-study route is subject to ongoing review and consideration. Any changes to be made as a result of that consideration will be set out in the usual way.

Postgraduate Education: Finance

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the merits of increasing funding for research councils to provide financial support to postgraduates unable to secure funding in the current economic situation.

David Lammy: Funding is allocated to the Research Councils for the duration of each spending review period. The Research Councils and the research community are best placed to decide how funding is distributed, in accordance with the Haldane Principle.
	On 18 November 2008, Research Councils UK, with support from the Science Minister, announced a package of measures in response to the economic downturn. As part of this, the Economic and Social Research Council will bring forward funding for around 30 studentships. In addition, BBSRC will advance funding for an additional 20 four-year studentships in four key priority areas of ageing research, bioenergy, bioprocessing and environmental change.

Regent College, Leicester

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent progress has been made on his Department's plans to assist the modernisation of the buildings of Regent College, Leicester.

Si�n Simon: Since 1997, this Government have invested 2.4 billion in redeveloping and modernising further education colleges. In addition we have plans to invest a further 2.3 billion in the next three years.
	In total, since the programme began, nearly 700 projects, at 330 colleges have been agreed.
	But the pace of demand for capital funding has increased. Projects and the scale of Government funding that they require are becoming increasingly ambitious. In addition there are signs that the ability of colleges to raise their own funds for proposed projects is being affected by the downturn.
	It is for this reason that over the last few weeks the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has been working closely with colleges that have submitted or are working on bids, to look at the individual current positions before making further funding decisions. As a result of this the consideration of a small number of applications that were due for decisionboth in principle and in detailhas been deferred from December to March.
	As your question relates to an operational matter for the LSC. Mark Haysom will write to my hon. Friend with the further information requested. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Libraries.

Renewable Energy: Finance

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support clean energy research and development.

David Lammy: DIUS is stepping up efforts on energy research and development through a range of commitments from Science and Innovation Budget investments through the Research Councils and Technology Strategy Board and, more recently with the establishment of the Energy Technologies Institute.
	Research Council expenditure on energy related basic, strategic and applied research and postgraduate training is expected to approach 300 million during this CSR period, and the Technology Strategy Board currently has a portfolio of collaborative projects on emerging low carbon energy technologies worth 90 million, with further competitions planned for later this year. The Technology Strategy Board is also expanding its portfolio in areas relating to the low carbon agenda through a range of initiatives including innovation platformsthe one focused on low carbon vehicles is coordinating over 100 million of public sector support to accelerate the market introduction of ultra low carbon vehicles.

Research Councils

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent allocation letter to each research council.

David Lammy: The Department has published a booklet entitled 'The Allocations of the Science Budget 2008/09 to 2010/11' in December 2007. This sets out in some detail the overall strategic priorities for the research base and the related funding decisions, together with the rationale behind them. This is available at:
	www.dius.gov.uk/publications/URN07114.pdf
	At the same time the seven research councils published their own delivery plans for the same period. These delivery plans set out each council's approach to research priorities, sustainability, economic impact, international aspects, specific financial commitments and targets for efficiency and effectiveness. These are available at:
	www.rcuk.ac.uk/aboutrcuk/deliveryplan
	The Government explained in their response to the IUSS Select Committee in June 2008 that they did not intend to publish their specific interactions with councils on the allocations process, not least because these relate to commercially confidential negotiations with international partners and suppliers.

Research: Intellectual Property

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent representations he has received on the obligations placed on researchers supported by research council grants to enter into research collaboration agreements to incorporate their intellectual property with companies.

David Lammy: I am not aware of any direct representations received by the Department. However, there may have been such representations to the Research Councils.
	Research Councils have recently clarified their position on intellectual property through a revision to the common grant condition (GC21) on Exploitation and Impact (formerly Commercial Exploitation). This states that the ownership of intellectual property, and responsibility for its exploitation, rests with the organisation that generates it.

Skilled Workers: Nuclear Power

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether his Department has a strategy for skills in the nuclear industry.

Si�n Simon: There will be real challenges in responding to the skill needs of the nuclear industry over the next few years. These include managing the decommissioning programme and balancing the potential requirements for a new civil nuclear power programme with defence skill requirements.
	The National Skills Academy for Nuclear (NSAN) has a clear remit to develop and promote skills and career pathways within the UK nuclear industry and to ensure that the capacity exists to deliver skills to meet the different skill needs across the civil and defence programmes. It is employer-led, reflecting the breadth of its industry through its board and associate membership.
	The NSAN and Cogent, the Sector Skills Council responsible for nuclear, are currently leading on a detailed review and analysis of the future skills challenges and issues facing the sector. This will inform the NSAN's five year plan. This will ensure that the NSAN is absolutely focused on addressing both current and future strategic skill needs across the nuclear sector and ensuring that there is capacity available to deliver it.
	The Office for Nuclear Development (OND) located within the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) will work to build excellence in the UK's nuclear industry by working with skills bodies, industry employers, other government departments and academia which will ensure a strategic and effective approach to skills development alongside wider policy and decision making.

Students: Loans

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the  (a) longest,  (b) shortest and  (c) average time taken to repay student loans by university graduates has been.

David Lammy: holding answer 10 February 2009
	The two types of student loan have different repayment terms. Borrowers with income-contingent loans introduced in 1998 repay 9 per cent. of earnings above 15,000.
	Repayments are usually collected through the tax system via employers, alongside income tax and national insurance contributions. Borrowers with the older mortgage-style loans repay instalments, usually by direct debit, when their annual income exceeds the repayment threshold, currently 25,936.
	With both types of loan, repayment is due to start in the April after borrowers graduate or otherwise leave their course, if their income is above the relevant repayment threshold. This point is known as the Statutory Repayment Due Date (SRDD). Some borrowers fully repay before they are required to commence repayments.
	The average time taken to fully repay mortgage-style loans is six years after SRDD, according to data at 31 March 2008. It is not yet possible to give a meaningful average time taken to repay income-contingent loans, because in terms of repayments the income-contingent loans scheme is still relatively young. The longest and shortest time taken to repay a loan cannot be disclosed as this could potentially identify an individual.

Students: Loans

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  what the  (a) highest and  (b) average monthly repayment to the Student Loans Company has been for students graduating in (i) 2002 and (ii) 2008;
	(2)  what the  (a) highest and  (b) average amount owed to the Student Loans Company was by students graduating from UK universities in 2008.

David Lammy: holding answer 10 February 2009
	Borrowers who graduated in 2002 with income-contingent loans would generally be included in the 2003 repayment cohort, i.e. those required to begin repaying loans from April 2003 if their income was high enough. The average annual repayment for this cohort was 600 in tax year 2006-07, equivalent to a monthly repayment of 50. Repayments are linked to income; borrowers repay 9 per cent. of earnings over 15,000.
	Students who graduated in 2008 will generally be required to start repaying student loans from April 2009, if their income is above the 15,000 threshold.
	Data are not yet available for the average amount owed by students who graduated in 2008. The average amount owed for the cohort of students who were liable to repay from April 2008 was 9,580.
	The highest monthly repayment and highest amount owed cannot be disclosed as this could potentially identify an individual.

Students: Loans

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people earning  (a) between 15,000 and 34,800 and  (b) more than 34,800 are repaying their student loans.

David Lammy: Borrowers repaying income-contingent loans via the tax system in tax year 2006-07 with known earnings are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  English domiciled borrowers 
			  Earnings band  Borrowers 
			 15,000 to 34,799.99 356,200 
			 34,800 and over 26,900 
			  Source: Student Loans Company 
		
	
	In addition there may be other borrowers who have made repayments that have not yet been recorded at SLC. HMRC receive annual P14 returns from employers, setting out the deductions they have made in the past year. This information is passed to SLC to update borrowers' accounts. There will also be some whose earnings have fluctuated during the year and who have therefore made repayments in some months but have earnings below the threshold at the end of the financial year. Such borrowers may apply for a refund of their repayments if they wish to do so.
	Borrowers are required to begin repaying their loans in the April after they graduate or otherwise leave their course, if their income is above the repayment threshold. Those below the threshold will include borrowers who have gone on to further study.

Students: Loans

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what proportion of the Student Loan Book has been sold in accordance with the provisions of the Sale of Student Loans Act 2008.

David Lammy: To date, no sales of student loans have been made under the 2008 Act.

Trading Standards: Weights and Measures

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the timetable is for the next issue of revised guidance to local authority trading standards departments on weights and measures legislation.

David Lammy: Weights and measures legislation is the responsibility of the Department for Innovation, Universities and skills, acting through its executive agency, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory.
	Neither the Department nor NWML publish comprehensive guidance to local authority trading standards departments on weights and measures legislation. Rather, the practice is to publish draft guidance on any new or amended weights and measures legislation in advance of the legislation coming into force to ensure both business and local authority trading standards departments have an opportunity to familiarise themselves with any changes before they take effect. Final guidance is then normally published when the new or amended regulations come into effect.
	Most recently, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory has published draft guidance on changes to specified quantities for pre-packages. Those changes are expected to come into effect in April. NWML will also shortly publish revised guidance on non-automatic weighing instruments.
	The following list shows the changes to weights and measures legislation which are expected to be made over the next year, and which will be accompanied by corresponding guidance, with an estimate of the likely timescale:
	(i) Changes to specified quantities for non pre-packaged alcohol and unwrapped bread in October 2009;
	(ii) Changes to the Measuring Instruments (Intoxicating Liquor) Regulations to allow statistical testing of fixed capacity spirit measuring instruments in October 2009;
	(iii) Changes to UK legislation to update it as a result of the changes to the Units of Measurement Directive 80/181/EEC as amended, by December 2009.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts: Young People

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what projects his Department funds to encourage participation in the arts by young people; and what the cost of those projects was in the last 12 months, broken down by region.

Barbara Follett: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport provides financial support for the arts through Arts Council England, which makes funding decisions independently of Government. Children and young people are one of the four priorities Arts Council England will be focusing on over the next three years. Much of the support given by Arts Council England through its Grants for the Arts and Regularly Funded Organisation schemes will encourage participation in the arts by young people.
	As well as these general grants, Arts Council England is currently involved with six specific projects and organisations which aim to encourage the participation of young people in the arts. The funding allocated for the last 12 months is set out as follows. A breakdown of funding by region is not possible for projects which are funded on a national basis.
	
		
			  Project/organisation  Allocated funding in 2008-09 () 
			 Young People's Participatory Theatre 1,053,000 
			 Take it Away 700,000 
			 Artsmark 640,000 
			   
			  Find Your Talent  
			 East Midlands 505,000 
			 London 425,000 
			 North East 455,000 
			 North West 1,000,154 
			 South East 677,916 
			 South West 359,000 
			 West Midlands 385,000 
			 Yorkshire 505,000 
			 Arts Council central national budget 687,930 
			   
			 Arts Award (1)350,000 
			   
			  Youth Music  
			 East 480,000 
			 East Midlands 813,000 
			 North East 480,000 
			 North West 1,021,000 
			 London 672,000 
			 South East 885,000 
			 South West 1,009,000 
			 West Midlands 903,000 
			 Yorkshire 930,000 
			 Open programme funds yet to be committed in 2008-09 547,000 
			 (1) Divided equally across the nine English regions.

Broadband

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make it his policy to ensure that consumers seeking to purchase home broadband services have the option of purchasing such services without voice services; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: h olding  answer 2 February 2009
	I have been asked to reply.
	There are no regulatory barriers preventing the development of broadband services without a voice service ('naked DSL') and nothing therefore preventing a commercial operator offering the service, indeed Virgin Media offer a broadband only service ('naked cable').
	While some ADSL broadband customers may not want a traditional voice telephone service, they may still require the telephone line to deliver their broadband. Although a subscriber may no longer require a traditional voice telephone service there remains a cost to be met for the provision, maintenance and operation of the line. The majority of the line rental charge covers these costs.
	Ofcom reports that over the past five years several operators have considered offering a broadband-only service. However, such a service has never been launched. Given the level of competition in this market and the fact that several operators have considered offering a broadband-only service it would appear that no operator has identified a commercial case for such a product.

Crown Lands and Estates

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his policy is on the upkeep from the public purse of properties owned by the royal family.

Barbara Follett: Grant in aid is not provided by the Department for the upkeep of properties owned by members of the royal family in a private capacity. Grant in aid is provided to the royal household annually only to meet the costs of property maintenance, and of utilities telephones and related services at the Occupied Royal Palaces in England, as these are held in trust for the nation by the Queen as sovereign and are used in fulfilling the role and functions of the Head of State. The Occupied Royal Palaces are Buckingham Palace, St. James's Palace, Clarence House, Marlborough House Mews, the residential and office areas of Kensington Palace, the Royal Mews and Royal Paddocks at Hampton Court, and Windsor Castle and buildings in the Home and Great Parks at Windsor.

Departmental Internet

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will publish a copy of his Department's website accessibility plan.

Andy Burnham: The Department has not produced a separate website accessibility plan. This has been incorporated into our Equality Scheme 2007-10 which is published on the Department website:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/3596.aspx
	In addition we have published an accessibility statement on our website:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/4912.aspx
	This specified our commitment to high standards of website accessibility and the methodology used to achieve our targets.

Digital Broadcasting: Elderly

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance his Department is giving to the elderly to help them with the digital television switchover; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The Government and the BBC have set up a digital switchover help scheme. The scheme covers households where one person is aged 75 or over, or has a severe disability, or is registered blind or partially sighted and anyone who is normally resident in a care home.
	The scheme provides easy-to-use equipment that suits a person's needs and help with installing the equipment, including where necessary a new dish or aerial and an easy-to-understand demonstration of how everything works. The scheme also ensures that there will be someone that people can call for help while they are getting used to digital television.

English Heritage: Grants

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much English Heritage has spent per capita for each region in each of the last five years.

Barbara Follett: English Heritage advises that approximately half its expenditure is allocated directly to its regions. The following table sets out the spend per capita for regionally managed expenditure.
	
		
			  English Heritage per capita spend 
			   
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 East of England 1.54 1.57 1.41 1.70 2.00 
			 East Midlands 1.34 1.81 1.55 2.18 1.26 
			 London 1.91 2.03 2.14 1.94 1.90 
			 North East 2.18 2.11 1.78 2.33 1.97 
			 North West 0.78 0.80 0.86 0.85 0.93 
			 South East 1.82 1.73 1.88 1.93 1.91 
			 South West 2.89 3.04 3.00 2.77 2.90 
			 West Midlands 1.37 1.65 1.53 1.84 1.71 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1.74 1.67 1.84 2.02 1.99 
			  Sources: 1. Spend: English Heritage. 2. Population: Office for National Statistics, mid-year population estimates, 2003-07. 
		
	
	These figures do not include centrally managed expenditure although a considerable proportion delivers activities in the regions, for example, education, outreach, the Property Investment Programme and some grants programmes. The proportion of centrally managed expenditure allocated to each region cannot be established without disproportionate cost. This is because many activities are categorised thematically rather than geographically, for example, research into seaside towns, aerial survey programmes or spend on interpretation at English Heritage properties.

Exercise

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) men,  (b) women and  (c) those over the age of 16 years who have participated in at least 30 minutes a day of moderate intensity physical activity on five or more days of the week in each of the last three years (i) in total and (ii) broken down by region.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The 'Taking Part' survey is a continuous household survey providing national data on participation in culture, leisure and sport.
	The following table shows the percentage of men and women aged 16 and over who have participated in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity level sport on at least five separate days in the past week. The data are presented by region for each of the last three years. Data are also provided for the total adult population.
	
		
			  Participation in moderate intensity sport on at least five days in the past week, by adults aged 16 and over 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			   Men  Women  All adults  Men  Women  All adults  Men  Women  All adults 
			 North East 14 9 12 16 9 12 14 8 11 
			 North West 12 8 10 13 9 10 17 10 13 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 14 12 13 18 9 13 18 10 14 
			 East Midlands 14 8 11 15 9 12 16 9 12 
			 West Midlands 11 9 10 13 9 11 14 9 12 
			 East of England 15 12 13 13 13 13 15 10 12 
			 London 12 10 11 12 9 10 15 9 12 
			 South East 13 11 12 12 11 11 13 11 12 
			 South West 14 11 13 15 10 12 17 12 15 
			 England 13 10 12 14 10 12 15 10 13 
			  Note:  These figures are survey estimates which will contain a margin of error. For further information about the methodology, a full definition of moderate intensity sport and the confidence intervals around these estimates, see the final assessment of SR04 PSA3 at http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/5653.aspx

Fines

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether any administrative financial penalties may be levied by his Department and its agency.

Barbara Follett: I am not aware that there are any administrative financial penalties that may be levied by my Department or its agency, the Royal Parks.

Hotels: Fire Prevention

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  whether he has made an assessment of the effects of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 on the bed and breakfast industry; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether he has made an assessment of the effects of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 on the tourism industry; and if he will make a statement.

Barbara Follett: Since the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 took effect in October 2006 there has been no specific assessment made of the impact on the sustainability of either bed and breakfast businesses or the tourism industry. However, Communities and Local Government (CLG), in consultation with both the industry and this Department, recently published a guide for small accommodation providers to help them comply with the new regulations. CLG will be monitoring the effects of the booklet and will be sharing this information with my Department in due course.

Legacy Trust UK: Grants

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1889W, on Legacy Trust UK, if he will place in the Library a copy of the list of the grants Legacy Trust UK has made to date.

Andy Burnham: I am arranging for copies of the list of grants Legacy Trust UK has made to date to be placed in the House Libraries.

Leisure: Urban Areas

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department is providing for recreational activity for inner-city children in 2008-09.

Gerry Sutcliffe: DCMS channels its funding mainly via our family of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). NDPBs are tasked with delivery of our overall strategies, including delivery of many bespoke programmes and projects.
	At headline level DCMS does not target inner-city areas for special funding arrangements although NDPBs occasionally do target similar demographics via particular programmes or work streams.
	Some of the key DCMS initiatives schemes, aimed at providing access and opportunity for all, will have particular beneficial effects on inner-city children. This list is certainly not exhaustive and further details of individual work strands can be found on the website of the DCMS family at
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/about_us/our_sponsored_bodies/default.aspx
	 Sport
	Through our PE and Sport Strategy for Young People, delivered jointly with DCSF, the Government are investing at least 783 million over 2008-11 to offer five hours of quality PE and sport to all pupils in England. This includes 22.8 million from my Department in 2008-09.
	The strategy reaches into every maintained school, and so provides a wide range of recreational sporting opportunities for children living in inner-city areas.
	Our key delivery partners, the Youth Sport Trust and Sport England, work with a wide range of national, regional and local partners including schools, sports clubs and youth and community organisations to attract more young people into sport across the country, including inner-city areas.
	Sport England which is an NDPB and National Lottery distributor, focuses on ensuring quality sporting opportunities exist beyond the school gates, enabling children and young people to migrate from the school environment to community sport. Reaching out to diverse communities is a vital part of their work.
	 Free Swimming
	Local authorities across the country have signed up to the Government's initiative to offer free swimming to both those aged 16 and under and over 60. The local authorities that have opted in to offer the scheme to both age groups have also received a share of a 10 million capital fund to spend on modernising or improving pool provision in time for the start of the two-year scheme in 2009. Those local authorities that will offer free swimming to both age groups also stand to benefit from a further 25 million capital challenge fund in both 2009-10 and 2010-11 to spend on improving pool provision. Many inner-city local authorities have taken up this opportunity. Details of participating authorities can be found at:
	www.culture.gov.uk/images/publications/freeswimming-finalallocations.pdf
	 Culture
	Through Arts Council England DCMS provided funding of almost 8.5 million between January 2008 and December 2008. This provided recreational activity for inner city children aged 0-15 years in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, Liverpool, Leeds, Bristol, Nottingham, and Portsmouth. These cities are top ten (by population) primary urban areas as defined by DCLG State of the Cities database 2007.
	 Find Your Talent
	In February last year the Government announced the new 25 million Find Your Talent (FYT) Pathfinder programme to trial different ways of delivering a five hour cultural offer for children and young people aged 0-19. The Pathfinders, running for three years were launched in September last year.
	Our ambition is to offer all children high quality cultural experiences no matter where they live or what their background and the Find Your Talent programme is part of the Government's drive to unlock the creative talent of all young people.
	This is on top of the investment the Government already put into cultural education programme. This means we fund cultural opportunities on a national scale and these funds are distributed to regions and localities via our funded bodies who fund projects in inner city areas and beyond.
	The ten Find Your Talent Pathfinder projects are listed and include inner-city areas:
	Bolton Borough Council
	The Creative Foundation (serving Shepway District and including Folkestone,
	Hythe and Romney Marsh)
	Customs House (North and South Tyneside)
	Hampshire County Council
	Leeds Children's Services
	Leicestershire County Council
	'Liverpool City Region' Partnership (serving three Merseyside neighbourhoods)
	North Somerset
	Telford and Wrekin Council
	Tower Hamlets
	 Museums
	In addition to the above initiatives and schemes, inner-city areas are well serviced by Museums offering free admission. A list of museums that form part of the DCMS family of NDPBs can be found at the above link. In 2007-08 there were eight million visits by children (aged 15 and under) to the DCMS sponsored museums.

Licensed Premises

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many alcohol licence applications have been rejected on grounds of  (a) protection of children from harm,  (b) public safety,  (c) prevention of public nuisance and  (d) prevention of crime and disorder since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department's statistical data do not identify the reasons for rejected applications for premises licences and club premises certificates, nor do they show which of the rejected applications relate to the sale of alcohol. In some cases, applications will relate solely to the provision of regulated entertainment or late night refreshment. The first published statistical bulletin since the implementation of the Act, which covers the period April 2006 to March 2007, reported the number of Premises Licence and Club Premises Certificate applications that went to a committee hearing was 6,408 (based on 81 per cent. of Licensing Authority responses).
	In the second published statistical bulletin since the implementation of the Act, which covers the period April 2007 to March 2008, there were 5,194 Premises Licence and Club Premises Certificate applications that went to a committee hearing (based on 95 per cent. of Licensing Authority responses). This statistical bulletin also reports reasons for completed reviews based upon each of the four licensing objectives, for this same period; these can be found in Tables 8a and 8b online:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/images/research/AE-Statistics-bulletin-2008.pdf

Licensed Premises

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what information his Department holds on the number of complaints received by local authorities from residents about noise and nuisance in areas  (a) with and  (b) without premises with late alcohol licences.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The requested information is not held centrally.

Licensed Premises

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what monitoring his Department is undertaking of the number of late alcohol licences granted in or near residential areas.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We do not centrally hold information on the proximity of licensed premises to residential areas. Parliament has delegated responsibility for licensing decisions to local authorities who are best placed to consider licensing issues in relation to residential and other areas.

Licensed Premises

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of alcohol licence applications were  (a) granted and  (b) refused by local authorities in England in each year since 2000.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Since the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003, DCMS has been collecting alcohol, entertainment and late night refreshment statistics for England and Wales on an annual basis by financial year from licensing authorities. The first bulletin covers the period April 2006 to March 2007; the second bulletin covers the period April 2007 to March 2008.
	For the period ending March 2008, 94 per cent. of new premises licence applications were granted, 2 per cent. were refused and 3 per cent. were unknown or undecided at the time the data were collected. For the same period, 95 per cent. of new club premises certificates were granted, 2 per cent. refused and 3 per cent. unknown or undecided (based on around 95 per cent. of Licensing Authority responses). We do not know how many of the rejected applications were for the sale of alcohol as licences and certificates also cover the provision of regulated entertainment and late night refreshment. However, generally we can say that 84 per cent. of premises licences and 98 per cent. of club premises certificates permitted the sale of alcohol.
	For the period ending March 2007, 96 per cent. of new premises licences were granted, 1 per cent. were refused and 3 per cent. were unknown or undecided at the time the data were collected. For the same period, 92 per cent. of new club premises certificates were granted, 2 per cent. were refused and 6 per cent. were unknown or undecided (based on around 82 per cent. of Licensing Authority responses).
	Prior to the implementation of the Licensing Act 2003, data on the number of alcohol licences revoked in England and Wales were collected by petty sessional division (magistrates court areas), on a triennial basis. In the year to 30 June 2004, 97 per cent. of new on- and off-licensed premises were granted, and 3 per cent. were refused/undecided. Also 79 per cent. of applications for registered clubs were granted with 21 per cent. refused/undecided.
	In the year to 30 June 2001, 88 per cent. of new on- and off-licensed premises were granted, and 12 per cent. were refused/undecided. Also 93 per cent. of applications for registered clubs were granted with seven per cent. refused/undecided.

Licensed Premises

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many complaints his Department has received from  (a) members of the public,  (b) police authorities and  (c) local authorities on the operation of the Licensing Act 2003.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department's first evaluation of the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 in March 2008 showed that the police have welcomed their new powers and provided evidence that local people are much better engaged than they were under the old licensing regime. Also, information and case studies we gathered from scrutiny councils as part of the review suggested that initial benefits were developing into longer term trends and that the Act is having a real impact on key issues such as crime and disorder and sales of alcohol to children. The Department does receive a number of letters, mainly from the public, where concerns are raised but it is not possible to state categorically which of these could be classified as complaints. We have always maintained that licensing is not the only solution to problems related to crime and disorder and nuisance and we continue to liaise with local authority representatives, police representatives, and other Government Departments (notably, the Home Office and the Department of Health, which have overall responsibility for the Government's renewed alcohol strategy) to develop new measures for combating these social problems.

Licensed Premises

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many 24-hour late licences have been granted by local authorities in England and Wales since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The latest Alcohol Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing Bulletin reports that as of 31 March 2008 there were an estimated 6,700 premises licences with 24 hour alcohol permissions under the Licensing Act 2003. This figure is comprised of 700 pubs, bars and nightclubs; 1,300 supermarkets and stores; 4,100 hotel bars; and 600 other types of premises. Together they account for under 4 per cent. of all premises licensed for the sale of alcohol. Most 24 hour licences are held by hotels, making alcohol available to guests round the clock, which would have existed under the previous regime.

Licensed Premises

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many late licences to open until  (a) midnight,  (b) 1.00 am,  (c) 2.00 am,  (d) 3.00 am and  (e) 4.00 am have been granted by local authorities in England and Wales since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We do not hold the requested information centrally. It should be noted that the times on a licence do not show the actual opening hours which will often be less as the licence provides flexibility. However, we did commission work for the evaluation of the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 (available from the House Library) which shows actual closing times on a Saturday night, provided by licensees. The summary shows, for example, that pub closures have increased by up to 27 minutes to a 11.30 pm average closing time and that bar closures are up 28 minutes to a midnight average closing time.

Music: Licensing

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he plans to undertake a public consultation on exemptions from licensing requirements for low-risk live music performances.

Andy Burnham: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is currently exploring options to exempt low impact licensing activities, including small scale live music, from the scope of the Licensing Act 2003. No decision has yet been taken on timing of the consultation that would be necessary in respect of any proposals.

New Opportunities Physical Education and Sports Fund

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library a copy of the policy directions issued by his Department for the administration of the New Opportunities Physical Education and Sports Fund.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We understood that a copy of these policy directions had been deposited in the Library of the House on 25 April 2001, but I believe that the Library does not hold a copy of these directions. I shall arrange for a further copy to be redeposited in the Library of the House.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the Answer of 26 January 2009,  Official Report, column 57W, on non-departmental public bodies, what the 19 requests were received by his Department for approval to incur expenditure over the delegated limits set out in the financial memoranda of his Department's non-departmental public bodies; and whether each request was accepted.

Andy Burnham: The 19 requests mentioned in my reply of 26 January are listed as follows:
	British Museum: request for approval of North-West Development projectcurrently under consideration;
	English Heritage: request to make grantcurrently under consideration;
	English Heritage: request to grant compensation following a refusal of Scheduled Ancient Monument Consentapproved;
	English Heritage: request to grant compensation following a refusal of Scheduled Ancient Monument Consentapproved;
	English Heritage: request for approval of contract at Chiswick Houseapproved;
	English Heritage: request for approval of a contract at Chapter House, Westminster Abbeyapproved;
	Sir John Soane's Museum: request for approval of Soane Masterplan projectapproved;
	Tate: request for approval of National Art Collections Centre projectcurrently under consideration;
	Visit Britain: request for approval of a contractcurrently under consideration.
	In addition to these, my reply included 10 requests from the Olympic Delivery Authority to incur expenditure. These were made under the standard procedure whereby the Olympic Projects Review Group examines and makes recommendations on the budget of each Olympic project where the value is in excess of 20 million. These requests were as follows:
	Security Project IIIcurrently under consideration;
	Landscape and Public Realmapproved;
	Olympic Route Networkapproved;
	Olympic Villageapproved;
	Security Project IIapproved;
	International Broadcast Centre/Media Press Centreapproved;
	Velodromeapproved;
	Gas, Water and Duct Networksapproved;
	Primary Sewer and Pumping Stationapproved;
	Security Project Iapproved.

Ofcom: Public Appointments

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether Colette Bowe's role in the Westland affair was taken into account in the procedure for appointing her as Chair of Ofcom.

Andy Burnham: The appointment of Colette Bowe was made following a process regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) and was also subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by a joint session of the Business and Culture Select Committees. All applicants were considered against published selection criteria which set out the qualities, skills and experience required for the position and the decision on who to appoint was based on merit. While it is not appropriate to comment on specific details of selection processes or individual applications, appointments are always made following proper consideration of matters such as conflict of interest and probity.

Olympic Games 2012

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had on the promotion of  (a) handball and  (b) boccia to coincide with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sport England have advised that they recently awarded 645,300 to the British Handball Association and 812,041 to CP Sport to develop the sport of boccia, during the period 2009-13. Sport England will shortly be holding discussions with the two bodies regarding how they will utilise this funding but will be looking to the sports to strengthen the governance arrangements (including the formation of a new English governing body for boccia), develop the club and coaching structures at grass roots level and to develop talent support systems to ensure more talented players can move on to elite programmes and achieve international success.
	CP Sport is also in receipt of an award of 56,532 as part of the Playground to Podium programme to develop disability talent pathways in boccia for one year up to October 2009. Sport England will review further Playground to Podium funding to boccia following the formation of the new governing body.

Olympic Games 2012: Gun Sports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had on the promotion of shooting as a sport to coincide with the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sport England have advised that they recently awarded 750,000 to the Great Britain Target Shooting Federation for the period 2009-13. Sport England will shortly be holding discussions with the federation regarding how it will utilise this funding but will be looking to the sport to develop a talent support system to ensure more talented shooters can move on to the sport's elite programmes and achieve international success.
	Shooting will also be expected to further develop its club and coaching structure, as well as continuing its work forming a single, unified governing body for the sport.
	Sport England is also providing 343,000 of funding for the English Target Shooting Federation over 2007-10 to support the English target shooting team's preparations for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi, India, in October 2010.

Olympic Games 2012: Tourism

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in his Department deal with tourism issues related to the Olympic legacy.

Barbara Follett: The Department currently employs 7.6 full-time equivalent (FTE) members of staff on these issues. This figure excludes staff in Press Office, Private Office, Corporate Services, Public Engagement and Communications.

Public Houses: Rural Areas

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will commission research into the number of rural public houses which are due to close; whether he has made an estimate of the number of rural public houses which closed in 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: DCMS does not collect statistics specifically on public house closures. The Department's Statistical Bulletin on Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment counts the number of premises authorising the sale or supply of alcohol by means of a premises licence or a club premises certificate. These figures apply not only to public houses, but also to other licensed premises such as hotels, off licences and convenience stores. Figures on closures of licensed premises relate to the specific exercise of powers under the Licensing Act 2003 and not to closures for other reasons.

Public Houses: Rural Areas

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will commission research into the social benefits provided by rural public houses.

Andy Burnham: There are currently no plans to undertake research into the social benefits provided by rural pubs. However the Government are fully aware of the valuable role pubs can play at the heart of rural communities and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, announced on 5 February a number of new initiatives to support rural businesses, including pubs. These new schemes will complement existing initiatives such as 'Pub is the Hub' which was set up in 2001, through the Rural Action Programme of Business in the Community, to encourage breweries, pub owners, licensees and local communities to work together to help retain and enhance rural services in isolated rural areas.

Regional Cultural Consortia

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for South West Surrey of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 1390-91W, on regional cultural consortia: finance, what assessment has been made of the extent to which regional cultural consortia have provided value for money since their establishment.

Barbara Follett: Since their establishment, the performance of the Regional Cultural Consortiums (RCCs) has been monitored on an ongoing basis through regular feedback to my officials, and reported on each year through their annual reports and accounts.
	In early 2002, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport conducted a review of the consortiums to assess the effectiveness of their operations. The review found that the consortiums were performing a key role in the regions.
	Following further consideration of the collaborative working of the Department's regional agencies, the Secretary of State decided in July 2008 that the consortiums should be replaced with new regional arrangements led jointly by Arts Council England, English Heritage, Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and Sport England.

Regional Cultural Consortia

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for South West Surrey of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1391W, on regional cultural consortiums: finance, what the administrative cost of each consortium was in each year from its establishment to its dissolution.

Barbara Follett: My Department has provided the following grant in aid to each of the Regional Cultural Consortiums, in each financial year since 2003-04.
	
		
			  Regional cultural consortiums outturn 
			  000 
			   Outturn 
			  Regional Cultural Consortium  2003 - 04  2004 - 05  2005 - 06  2006 - 07  2007 - 08 
			 Living East 180 209 233 215 230 
			 Culture South East 205 209 224 215 260 
			 Culture North East 197 210 221 215 220 
			 Culture North West 208 209 223 215 230 
			 Yorkshire Culture 208 209 221 215 230 
			 Culture East Midlands 141 210 236 215 243 
			 Culture South West 206 209 222 215 230 
			 Culture West Midlands 223 209 261 215 223 
		
	
	We expect all the consortiums to be wound up by the end of 2008-09, at which point accounts for this period will be prepared.

Sports: Training

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) registered and  (b) active sports coaches there were in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Currently National Governing Bodies (NGBs) control their own sports coach data which are based on various recruitment measures. Collated NGB data could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, a report done in 2006 by sportscoach UK (scUK) indicated there were 1.7 million active coaches in the UK. We are currently working with scUK to look at how we can improve the routine collation of information in this area.

Swimming Teachers' Association

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will consult the Swimming Teachers Association when drawing up the new Whole Sport Plans; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA), as the National Governing Body of swimming, has been responsible for drawing up a plan in the best interests of swimming as a whole. Sport England have worked in close conjunction with the ASA throughout this process to ensure the plan serves the whole sport.
	My officials recently met the Swimming Teachers' Association to discuss future work and policy initiatives concerning the Free Swimming programme, and took this opportunity to discuss their role more widely.

Television

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance his Department provides for television broadcasters on the use of bad language after the nine o'clock watershed.

Andy Burnham: Responsibility for what is broadcast on television and radio rests with the broadcasters and the organisations which regulate broadcastingthe Office of Communications (Ofcom), the BBC Trust and the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority (S4C)within the overall framework set by the Communications Act 2003 and the BBC Charter and Agreement.
	In relation to broadcasting, Parliament has charged Ofcom with maintaining standards, notably to protect children and to protect the general public from harmful and offensive material, including bad language. The Ofcom Broadcasting Code therefore sets out the rules with which broadcasters must comply. Ofcom also produces guidance notes to assist broadcasters in interpreting and applying the Broadcasting Code. In addition, the BBC's editorial guidelines, under the sovereignty of the BBC Trust, provide clear advice on the standards expected of all BBC content on television and radio. The S4C Compliance Guidelines also provide guidance on the standards expected of all content broadcast on S4C.
	Within this framework, it is the broadcasters' job to make judgements about what individual programmes should contain and the time at which they are broadcast.

Television

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on arrangements to increase the consistency of regulation of content on television and on the internet; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The Departments for Culture, Media and Sport and Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform considered the issue jointly when negotiating the Audio-Visual Media Services Directive, which maintains a distinction between the regulation of linear television and television on demand. I believe that such distinctions remain valid for the present, but we recognise that this may not always be the case and keep the matter under review.
	Concerns about internet content were considered as part of Tanya Byron's review of Child Safety on the Internet and fall within the remit of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety which we have established and are also being considered as part of the Digital Britain Report.

Television: Licensing

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of people  (a) evading payment of the television licence fee and  (b) discovered with a television but without a television licence in each of the last five years.

Andy Burnham: This is a matter for the BBC. I have, therefore, asked the BBC's Head of Revenue Management to consider the question raised by the hon. Member and to write to him direct. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Tourism

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1556W on tourism, when VisitBritain will provide the final submission on the wish list requested by his Department to assist British tourism during the economic downturn.

Barbara Follett: VisitBritain have provided their final submission on the wish list to assist British tourism during the economic downturn, the contents of which are being considered.

Tourism: Coastal Areas

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether  (a) he and  (b) Ministers in his Department have had discussions with (i) the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and (ii) Visit Britain on CABE's Sea Change programme.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 10 February 2009
	The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment manages the Sea Change programme on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Ministers have had discussions with the Commission about the Sea Change programme on several occasions. Ministers have not directly discussed Sea Change with VisitBritain.

Tourism: EU Grants and Loans

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1418W, on tourism: EU grants and loans, which regional development agencies have submitted a bid for  (a) European Regional Development Fund Objective 2 for Tourism and  (b) European Social Fund for Tourism funds in 2008-09; and how many did so in 2007-08.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 12 February 2009
	Regional development agencies have advised that there were no bids submitted for  (a) European Regional Development Fund Objective 2 for tourism and  (b) European Social Fund for tourism funds in 2007-2008 or 2008-09.

Tourism: Olympic Games 2012

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2009,  Official Report, column 60W, on tourism: Olympic Games 2012, on what date VisitBritain was informed that he had no plans to provide additional funding for tourism in respect of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games in the present comprehensive spending round.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 10 February 2009
	In respect of additional or special funding for the marketing of the 2012 Olympic games and Paralympic games for tourism purposes, VisitBritain were first informed that nothing would be added to their baseline funding for the period 2008-11 in October 2007 on disclosure of the outcome of the current comprehensive spending review. We have subsequently informed VisitBritain that the matter cannot be reconsidered until the next spending round.

World Heritage Sites

Richard Younger-Ross: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he plans to submit progress reports to the World Heritage Committee for examination at its 2009 session on the world heritage sites of  (a) the Palace of Westminster,  (b) the Tower of London and  (c) the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City; and for what reasons they were not submitted in accordance with the originally planned timetable.

Barbara Follett: The State of Conservation report for Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City World Heritage Site was submitted to UNESCO on 9 February 2009; the report for the Tower of London World Heritage Site was submitted on 18 February 2009. The report for the Palace of Westminster World Heritage Site will be submitted by 28 February 2009.
	UNESCO requests that State of Conservation reports are submitted by 1 February. However, in consultation with UNESCO we have negotiated an extension to the deadline to ensure that stakeholders can be properly consulted.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Advanced Extension Award

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils were entered for advanced extension award examinations in  (a) maintained schools and  (b) independent schools in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: Advanced extension awards were first introduced in 2002. However, the Department has only held comprehensive data on these qualifications since 2006.
	The number of advanced extension awards taken in maintained and independent schools in each of the last three years is given as follows:
	
		
			   Maintained schools  Independent schools 
			 2007/08 4,965 3,515 
			 2006/07 5,243 3,846 
			 2005/06 4,695 3,807 
			  Note: These figures relate to 16-18 year olds (age at start of academic year, i.e. 31st August)

Apprentices

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many 16 to 19 year-olds have been recruited into apprenticeships in each of the last three years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: holding answer 2 February 2009
	Table 1 shows the number of apprenticeship starts for 16 to 19-year-olds (based on age at start of course), in each of the last three academic years. This information was published in a statistical first release on 18 December 2008.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of apprenticeship starts for 16 to 19-year-olds 
			   2005/06  2006/07  2007/08 
			  Age at start
			 16 33,200 33,200 33,300 
			 17 33,300 35,800 36,400 
			 18 32,500 36,200 37,300 
			 19 22,100 23,400 26,100 
			 
			 Total 16 to 19-year-old apprenticeship starts 121,000 128,500 133,100 
			 
			 All apprenticeship starts 175,000 184,400 224,800 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Age is based on age at the start of the course.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps Partnerships for Schools is taking to support the Schools Capital programme in the current economic situation; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Partnerships for Schools is working closely with the Department and HM Treasury to ensure that the programme continues to deliver on time and on budget.
	Despite what continue to be challenging economic conditions, 2009 has begun on a more positive note for BSF than anticipated, with a number of banks indicating they are in the market to finance senior debt in BSF schemes. In addition, companies from beyond the banking sector are showing an interest in entering the market. Discussions are also ongoing with the European Investment Bank.
	PfS is also exploring with the Department and HM Treasury the option of accessing the shorter term debt market to support PFI schemes. This would involve refinancing schemes at seven or 10 years.
	Against this backdrop, BSF continues to deliver. Deals have closed throughout the autumn and now into 2009, with the latest deal to close in Tameside, bringing the total to twenty-nine. Nearly a third of all secondary schools in England are now engaged in BSF, with the 50th school having now opened.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the budget for the Building Schools for the Future programme; and when he expects the budget for 2009-10 to be allocated.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: As an outcome of the comprehensive spending review 2007, the Department announced new capital resources of 9.3 billion, including 3.4 billion of PFI credits, for the Building Schools for the Future and Academies programmes for the current period 2008-09 to 2010-11. These resources, together with BSF resources of some 6 billion made available in the last spending period, are being allocated to BSF projects in the first six waves of the programme. This Government are committed to the continuation of these programmes to renew the secondary schools' estate to provide 21st century facilities for all of our young people, and we will continue to review future requirements in the light of the next spending review exercise for 2011-12 and beyond.

Children in Care

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children have been taken into care in each local authority area in each  (a) month,  (b) quarter and  (c) year since 1 January 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Figures on the number of children that have been taken into care in each local authority in each month and quarter for the years 2003-04, 2005-06 and 2007-08 has been placed in the Libraries. A full five-year time series from 2003-04 detailing how many children have been taken into care in that year has also been placed in the Libraries.
	Only the first occasion where a child has been taken into care in each financial year has been counted in all of the analysis provided. Subsequent occasions where a child ceases to be looked after and then is taken into care again in another month or quarter in the same financial year have not been included. This analysis can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	Information on the number of children that have been taken into care in each month and quarter for the period 2004-05, 2006-07 and pre-April 2003 has not been provided due to disproportionate costs.

Children: Day Care

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average hourly cost of childcare in  (a) London and  (b) the rest of England was for different age groups of children in the latest period for which information is available.

Beverley Hughes: The Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents collects information on parents' use, views and experiences of child care and early years provision, including information on costs of child care. When reporting the costs of childcare, parents were asked to include payments made directly by the family and payments made by an external source, for example money paid by employers, the local authority, or an ex-partner. Therefore the costs recorded in the survey are not costs that parents actually pay for child care as they include help that is available through tax credits, childcare vouchers and the free entitlement for three and four-year-olds.
	Table 1 shows the figures from the 2007 survey on the hourly costs of child care by region. Regional data on the hourly cost, by the age of the child are not available due to small sub-sample sizes at the regional level.
	
		
			  Table 1: Hourly cost of child care (including subsidies), by region 
			   Mean hourly cost () 
			 All children 2.58 
			   
			 North East 2.35 
			 North West 2.05 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1.95 
			 East Midlands 1.96 
			 West Midlands 2.48 
			 East 2.51 
			 London 3.50 
			 South East 3.03 
			 South West 2.27 
			  Notes: 1. Based on all children paying for child care used in last week. 2. Figures include subsidies, eg money paid by employers, the local authority, or an ex-partner. 
		
	
	Table 2 shows the hourly costs of child care by the age of the child in 2007.
	
		
			  Table 2: Hourly cost of child care (including subsidies), by age of the child 
			   Mean hourly cost () 
			 All children 2.58 
			   
			  Age of child  
			 0-2 3.23 
			 3-4 2.13 
			 5-7 2.50 
			 8-11 2.50 
			 12-14 2.31 
			  Notes: 1. Based on all children paying for child care used in last week. 2. Figures include subsidies, eg money paid by employers, the local authority, or an ex-partner.

Children: Day Care

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what research his Department has undertaken on  (a) charging for extended school activities,  (b) the number of parents claiming child care tax credit for help with funding out of school activities,  (c) the percentage change in the number of parents paying for out of school childcare in the last three years and  (d) the percentage change in the number of parents claiming child care tax credit for help with out of school activities in each of the last three years.

Beverley Hughes: The Department commissioned research from Ipsos MORI (Extended Schools Survey of School, Pupils and Parents, 2009). Schools were asked how they fund activities and child care (multiple choices were possible). The report found that:
	Around three-quarters (73%) of schools that provide childcare, or activities used as childcare, say that users pay for services, although around three in ten (32%) say that the school itself provides funding to enable this service to run. Activities are also most commonly funded by the school (58%), although this is also more likely in secondary schools (74%) and schools in deprived areas (70%). In around two in five cases, the users pay for the service (43%).
	The report also found that:
	Among schools that charge users for childcare and activities, the majority provide help for families who struggle to pay the full fee. Schools most commonly do this by charging a lower fee or waiving payment altogether (53%), or by signposting families to other sources of support such as the Working Tax Credit (49%).
	Of those eligible to benefit from the child care element of tax creditsavailable for working parents to help with the cost of Ofsted-registered child care or activity-based provisiontake up has increased from 14 per cent. in 2004-05 to 17 per cent. in 2006-07. The latest Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) snapshot data shows that 19 per cent. of families were receiving the child care element in December 2008, which equates to about 460,000 families.
	The Department does not collect data on point  (c) of the question.
	HMRC published data do not record what types of provision a family is using.

Children: Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many serious case reviews have been conducted into the deaths or serious injuries of children in each local authority area in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many Part 8 reviews into child deaths occurred in each local authority area in each of the last five years.

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many serious case reviews have been conducted into the  (a) deaths and  (b) serious injuries of children in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 8 December 2008
	Data currently held by the Department for Children, Schools and Families indicate that, of all notifications received between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008 of serious child care incidents, 89 serious case reviews had been initiated where a child died and abuse or neglect was known or suspected to be a factor and 60 were initiated in other circumstances, including where a child sustained a potentially life-threatening injury or serious and permanent impairment of health and development through abuse or neglect. These figures are broken down by local authority in the table, a copy of which has been placed in the Libraries.
	Data prior to 1 April 2007 are not available in this form. However, the Department commissions an academic biennial analysis of all serious case reviews to help ensure lessons are clearly identified and disseminated. The latest report for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2005 indicates that of the 161 serious case reviews in that study, two thirds were commissioned after a child had died and a third after a child was seriously injured. Links to these reports are as follows:
	Analysing Child Deaths and Serious Injury through Abuse: What can we Learn? A Biennial Analysis of Serious Case Reviews 2003-05 at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/RRP/u014591/index.shtnnl
	Improving Safeguarding PracticeStudy of Serious Case Reviews 2001-03 at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/RRP/u014711/index.shtml
	Learning from Past ExperienceA Review of Serious Case Reviews at:
	http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4003094
	Information on the number of serious case reviews following the death of a child in each local authority area between 2000 and 2005 has been given in the reply on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 837-39W.

Departmental Buildings

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will place in the Library a copy of the  (a) display energy certificates and  (b) advisory reports for public buildings issued in respect of each property occupied by his Department.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department will place in the Libraries a copy of the display energy certificates and their associated advisory reports in respect of each property occupied by the Department.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many staff in his Department and its predecessor were disciplined for  (a) bullying and  (b) harassment of colleagues in each of the last three years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: There have been no recorded cases of bullying or harassment of employees in the Department or the former Department for Education and Skills which resulted in staff being disciplined.

Departmental Foreign Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed by his Department.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information could be obtained in the form requested only at disproportionate cost as once individuals are appointed to the Department, having cleared nationality, passport, proof of identity, reference and criminal records bureau checks, our human resource information systems does not distinguish between EU or non-EU nationality.

Departmental Lobbying

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether Ministers in his Department received representations from  (a) Lord Moonie,  (b) Lord Taylor of Blackburn,  (c) Lord Snape and  (d) Lord Truscott in the last seven months.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department has no record of Ministers receiving representations from  (a) Lord Moonie,  (b) Lord Taylor of Blackburn,  (c) Lord Snape and  (d) Lord Truscott in the last seven months.

Departmental Pensions

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to advise staff of pension options available to them in relation to added years or additional voluntary contributions.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Members of the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme receive an annual benefit statement showing the pension built up to date, and also a projection of their pension on retirement if they continue in service to scheme pension age. The benefit statement prompts the member to consider boosting their pension and provides details of the civil service pensions website (www.civilservice-pensions.gov.uk) where staff can obtain further information, including options for making additional voluntary contributions and a calculator to work out costs for added pension (previously added years).
	New entrants are informed of pension options in the employment offer and are provided with a pension information pack.
	The Cabinet Office provides leaflets that explain added pension and additional voluntary contributions for members. The information is also available in scheme booklets. These are available on the civil service pensions website or on request from the member's pensions administrator.
	The Department lists all pension scheme options for employees on its intranet including help and support and updates and links to the Cabinet Office pension website. This website can also be accessed via the Department's intranet.
	Where an employee considers making changes to their pension arrangements based on updated information, the guidance on the intranet always advises that the individual seeks professional financial advice before taking action.

Departmental Plants

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on flowers in each year since its establishment.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department for Children, Schools and Families was created on 28 June 2007.
	There has been nil expenditure on flowers in the Department for Children, Schools and Families since this time.

Departmental Policy Advisers

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent discussions his Department has had with outside organisations to discuss policy on reducing the effect of the recession on matters within his Department's responsibility.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department for Children Schools and Families has regular engagements with outside organisations including other relevant Government Departments on a range of issues relating to the economy.

Departmental Public Appointments

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which of the public appointments for which his Department is responsible are due to be  (a) renewed and  (b) filled in the next 24 months; what the (i) remit, (ii) salary, (iii) political restriction, (iv) eligibility requirement and (v) timetable for each appointment is; and what records his Department keeps in respect of such appointments.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Information on appointments made by the Department for Children, Schools and Families is published in the Department's annual report on the Department's website at
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/aboutus/reports/
	and in press notices issued when individual appointments are made. More detailed information about individual appointments is set out in the relevant body's annual report and in the body's relevant legislation.
	Vacancies may be advertised on the Cabinet Office Public Appointments website at
	www.publicappointments.gov.uk.
	Information on individual appointments is provided in the advert and the candidate's information pack. The process for making a public appointment, including guidance on when to appoint, political activity and eligibility criteria, follows the Cabinet Office publication Making and Managing Public Appointments. For appointments regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the appointments process also complies with the Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies. Copies are in the Libraries.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his Department's capital spending  (a) was in each year from 2001-02 to 2007-08 and  (b) is planned to be in each year from 2008-09 to 2014-15 in 2005-06 prices; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We are unable to provide capital spending figures prior to 2002 as they do not take into account Machinery of Government changes that took place in June 2007. Table 1 details the capital spending for the current Department, as published in the 2008 departmental report (DAR).
	
		
			  Table 1: DCSF capital spending 2002-08 
			  Outturn  Capital spending ( million) 
			 2002-03 2,730 
			 2003-04 3,469 
			 2004-05 4,068 
			 2005-06 4,411 
			 2006-07 4,053 
			 2007-08(1) 4,171 
			 (1) Actual Outturn as DAR 2007-08 figure was provisional at time of publication 
		
	
	The Department operates on comprehensive spending review cycles which currently extend to 31 March 2011 only. Figures from 2011-15 are not available at the present time. Table 2 is the Department's planned capital expenditure from 2008-11 at 2005-06 prices. These figures are based on the estimated Spring Supplementary figures and the gross domestic product (GDP) deflators published by Treasury on 23 December 2008.
	
		
			  Table 2: DCSF planned capital spending 
			   Capital budget ( million) 
			 2008-09 5,499 
			 2009-10 7,454 
			 2010-11 6,180

Departmental Publications

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 9-10W, on departmental publications 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost of answering the question, broken down by sub-category of expenditure;
	(2)  which documents were circulated to schools by his Department in exceptional circumstances in 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The cost of preparing an answer to the question was considered likely to exceed the disproportionate cost threshold and, as a consequence, no estimate of likely expenditure was necessary. Similarly, to retrieve the information as to which documents the Department has circulated to schools in exceptional circumstances in 2008 can also be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Departmental secondment

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people have been seconded to his Department from the private sector in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department was created on 28 June 2007. The number people seconded into the Department from the private sector is set out as follows:
	
		
			   Secondees from the private sector 
			 2007(1) 2 
			 2008 2 
			 (1) From 28 June 2007

Education: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on what date his Department received from each local authority information which enabled National Challenge monies to be allocated; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Following written submissions from local authorities in the summer, officials from the Department met with all local authorities in September and October. There was an ongoing exchange of information as plans were refined throughout the autumn before being approved by Ministers.

Extension Awards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils took advanced extension awards in  (a) the state sector and  (b) the independent sector in each year since 1997.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Advanced Extension Awards were first introduced in 2002, but the Department has only held comprehensive data on these qualifications since 2006.
	The number of Advanced Extension Awards taken in maintained and independent schools in each of the last three years is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Maintained  s chools  Independent s chools 
			 2007-2008 4,965 3,515 
			 2006-2007 5,243 3,846 
			 2005-2006 4,695 3,807 
			  Note: These figures relate to 16-18 year olds (age at start of academic year, i.e. 31 August)

Foreign Languages: General Certificate of Secondary Education

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1504W, on specialist schools: languages, how many and what percentage of pupils at  (a) specialist language colleges,  (b) schools which have languages as a second specialism and  (c) schools which have languages combined with another specialism, achieved a modern languages GCSE at grades A* to C.

Jim Knight: The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of schools( 1)  Pupils achieving A*-C in one full MFL GCSE or equivalent, 2008 
			Number  Percentage 
			 Language colleges 217 22,478 52 
			 Schools with languages as a second specialism 71 7,276 51 
			 Language colleges (combined) 15 1,205 46 
			 (1.) Specialism defined at September 2007 (i.e. the beginning of the 2007/08 academic year to which the exam results relate)

GCE A-Level

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools entered one or more pupils for examination in  (a) a modern language A level,  (b) biology A level,  (c) chemistry A level and  (d) physics A level in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: Of those maintained schools published in the 2008 School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables, 1,493 entered one or more pupils for a modern language A-level, 1,628 entered one or more pupils for biology A-level, 1,560 entered one or more pupils for chemistry A-level and 1,499 entered one or more pupils for physics A level in 2007-08.

GCE A-Level

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils in schools of each type achieved three As at A-level excluding general studies in the last year for which data are available.

Jim Knight: The information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Candidates( 1)  aged 16 to 18( 2)  achieving 3 A grades at A level excluding General Studies by school type, 2008( 3) 
			  School type  Number of candidates achieving 3 or more A grades( 4)  at GCE/VCE/Applied A Level and Double Awards excluding General Studies 
			 Comprehensive schools(5) 7,484 
			 Selective schools 4,254 
			 Modern schools 63 
			 All maintained schools(6) 11,817 
			   
			 Independent schools(7) 10,156 
			 All schools 21,973 
			   
			 Sixth form colleges 3,397 
			 Other FE sector colleges 1,127 
			 All FE sector colleges 4,524 
			 All schools and FE sector colleges 26,497 
			 (1) 16 to 18-year-old candidates entered for GCEA/CE applied A levels and Double Awards in 2008.  (2) Age at the start of the 2007/08 academic year i.e. 31 August 2007.  (3) Figures are based on amended data.  (4) A VCE/GCE Applied Double Award at grade AA counts as two grade As, an award at grade AB counts as one.  (5) Includes city technology colleges and academies.  (6) Includes the results for community and foundation special schools, hospital schools and pupil referral units.  (7) Includes non-maintained special schools.

GCSE

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils at non-selective schools in selective areas have exceeded the national average of achieving five A* to C GCSEs in the last five years; and how many pupils at each such school achieved at least five GCSEs at A* to C grades in each year.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/performancetables/
	The information is also available in the Libraries.

GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in how many schools fewer than 50 per cent. of pupils achieved five GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and mathematics in 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information requested is published in the 2008 achievement and attainment tables released on 15 January, which are available in the Libraries.

GCSE: Disadvantaged

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 489W, on the General Certificate of Secondary Education, 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of  (a) all pupils and  (b) pupils eligible to receive free school meals did not attain any GCSE grades higher than an E in each year since 2002;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of pupils eligible to receive free school meals attained one or more GCSEs at grade A in each year since 2002.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information available is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Number and percentage of all pupils and pupils eligible to free school meals, at the end of KS4, who did attain GCSEs at grades A or above  Number and percentage of all pupils and pupils eligible to free school meals, at the end of KS4, who did not attain GCSEs at Grade E or above 
			   Total  FSM  Total  FSM 
			   Number  P ercentage  Number  P ercentage  Number  P ercentage  Number  P ercentage 
			 2008 213,191 35.7 12,151 16.3 37,680 6.3 11,771 15.8 
			 2007 205,514 34.3 11,963 15.6 42,481 7.1 13,437 17.5 
			 2006 199,787 33.6 11,818 15.1 45,046 7.6 14,390 18.4 
			 2005 190,064 32.8 11,285 14.3 46,030 7.9 15,434 19.6 
			 2004 187,242 31.6 11,065 13.5 55,271 9.3 17,686 21.6 
			 2003 176,963 30.6 10,353 12.8 54,993 9.5 18,000 22.2 
			  Source: National Pupil Database 
		
	
	Comparable figures for 2002 are not available.

History: Curriculum

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether national strategies are intended to have policies in respect of  (a) history and  (b) geography in (i) primary schools and (ii) secondary schools.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The principal focus of the National Strategies is on supporting teaching and learning in the core subjects of literacy and numeracy in the early years and primary phases and English, mathematics and science in the secondary phase. Currently there are no plans to broaden the scope specifically to cover history and geography.

History: Education

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2008,  Official  Report, columns 181-3W, on history: education, which of the schools that did not enter any pupils for A level history entered one or more pupils for an A level in  (a) sociology,  (b) media studies and  (c) communication and culture.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information required is given in the following table.
	Only maintained mainstream schools that were published in the 2007 School and College Achievement and Attainment Tables have been presented.
	
		
			  Maintained Mainstream Schools that did not enter any pupils into GCE A level History in 2006-07 - entries in sociology, media/film/tv studies and communication studies 
			Entered one or more pupils for A-level in:  
			Sociology  Media/Film /TV Studies  Communication studies  Number of 16-18 year olds 
			 2024104 Haverstock School Yes Yes No 255 
			 2024652 Maria Fidelis Roman Catholic Convent School FCJ Yes Yes No 141 
			 2044686 The Skinners' Company's School for Girls Yes Yes No 152 
			 2084509 Charles Edward Brooke School Yes No No 88 
			 2085403 Archbishop Tenison's School Yes Yes No 36 
			 2106906 The Academy at Peckham No Yes No 133 
			 2114242 Mulberry School for Girls Yes Yes No 356 
			 2124329 Battersea Technology College No No No 62 
			 3036905 The Business Academy Bexley No No No 90 
			 3044006 Wembley High Technology College Yes Yes No 180 
			 3045408 John Kelly Boys' Technology College Yes No No 134 
			 3046905 Capital City Academy No Yes No 140 
			 3076905 West London Academy No No No 112 
			 3084041 Salisbury School No No No 124 
			 3084043 Highlands School No No No 192 
			 3094034 Woodside High School, a Business and Enterprise Specialist School No No No 68 
			 3094037 Park View Academy Yes Yes No 64 
			 3096905 Greig City Academy Yes Yes No 114 
			 3124654 Guru Nanak Sikh Voluntary Aided Secondary School No No No 72 
			 3134021 Hounslow Manor School No No No 100 
			 3145403 Coombe Boys' School No No No 93 
			 3206905 Walthamstow Academy No No No 2 
			 3304084 Washwood Heath Technology College No No No 113 
			 3304207 Handsworth Wood Girls' Visual and Performing Arts Specialist College and Sixth Form Centre No No No 51 
			 3304227 Broadway School Yes No No 143 
			 3304245 Moseley School A Language College Yes No No 141 
			 3305412 George Dixon International School and Sixth Form Centre No No No 185 
			 3314030 Lyng Hall School No No No 65 
			 3335400 Manor Foundation Business and Sports College No No No 74 
			 3354017 Alumwell Business and Enterprise College Yes No No 164 
			 3354100 Darlaston Community Science College Yes No No 114 
			 3364115 Deansfield High School No No No 96 
			 3364131 Parkfield High School Yes No No 108 
			 3364139 Moreton Community School No No No 110 
			 3404609 All Saints Catholic High School No Yes No 152 
			 3414419 Shorefields School No No No 53 
			 3414420 Fazakerley High School Yes Yes No 71 
			 3414423 Croxteth Community Comprehensive School Yes No No 91 
			 3414425 Broadgreen High School a Technology College No No No 164 
			 3414788 St Benedict's College No No No 114 
			 3414796 Archbishop Beck Catholic Sports College No No No 168 
			 3416906 North Liverpool Academy Yes Yes No 156 
			 3524257 Whalley Range 11-18 High School and Business and Enterprise College Yes Yes No 297 
			 3714607 Rossington All Saints Church of England (VA) School - A Sports College No No No 145 
			 3804034 Rhodesway School No No No 206 
			 3804066 Greenhead High School Yes Yes No 182 
			 3804100 Carlton Boiling College No No No 312 
			 3804613 Feversham College Yes No No 96 
			 3804616 Immanuel College Yes No No 122 
			 3814036 The Ridings School No No No 27 
			 3824048 Batley Girls' High School Yes No No 182 
			 3834031 City of Leeds School No No No 44 
			 3834044 Primrose High School No No No 52 
			 3834045 John Smeaton Community High School Yes No No 99 
			 3834054 Intake High School Arts College No Yes No 84 
			 3834058 West Leeds High School No No No 99 
			 3834059 Parklands Girls' High School Yes No No 90 
			 3834851 South Leeds High School No No No 73 
			 3904605 Cardinal Hume Catholic School No No No 93 
			 3914500 All Saints College No Yes No 91 
			 8004108 Culverhay School No No No 49 
			 8014032 Brislington Enterprise College Yes Yes No 62 
			 8016905 The City Academy Bristol Yes No No 304 
			 8114063 Howden School and Technology College No No No 12 
			 8124086 The Lindsey School and Community Arts College Yes Yes No 93 
			 8154203 Ripon College Yes No No 55 
			 8254001 Highcrest Community School Yes No No 76 
			 8254036 Princes Risborough No Yes No 124 
			 8254072 Cressex Community School No No No 73 
			 8254074 Burnham Upper School No Yes No 43 
			 8254094 The Wye Valley School No Yes No 134 
			 8254095 Amersham School Yes Yes No 156 
			 8264085 Sir Frank Markham Community School Yes No Yes 95 
			 8315403 Merrill College Yes No No 121 
			 8364111 Rossmore Community College No Yes No 62 
			 8364112 Ashdown Technology College No No No 32 
			 8374189 Oakmead College of Technology Yes No No 135 
			 8564005 New College Leicester No No No 53 
			 8604066 Norton Canes High School No Yes No 37 
			 8604084 Mary hill High School Yes Yes No 73 
			 8674030 The Brakenhale School No No No 39 
			 8714082 Baylis Court School Yes Yes No 72 
			 8715409 The Westgate School Yes No No 67 
			 8724041 Ryeish Green School No Yes No 72 
			 8754161 Ellesmere Port Specialist School of Performing Arts Yes No No 90 
			 8814735 St Peters College No Yes No 81 
			 8825414 The Eastwood School (11-18) Yes No No 81 
			 8864026 Dartford Technology College Yes Yes No 88 
			 8864031 Swanley Technology College No No No 63 
			 8864059 Swadelands School No Yes No 85 
			 8864065 Holmesdale Technology College Yes No No 64 
			 8864114 Archers Court Maths and Computing College Yes Yes No 133 
			 8864204 Wilmington Enterprise College No No No 76 
			 8864207 Castle Community College No No No 52 
			 8864219 Hextable School Yes Yes No 91 
			 8864242 The Abbey School No No No 111 
			 8865409 Wrotham School Yes Yes No 93 
			 8865410 Aylesford School - Sports College Yes No No 89 
			 8865455 The Hayesbrook School No No No 109 
			 8865456 Northfleet Technology College No No No 79 
			 8865466 Brockhill Park Performing Arts College No Yes No 159 
			 8884408 Fleetwood Sports College No No No 2 
			 8914008 Kirkby College Yes Yes No 52 
			 8925402 Greenwood Dale School Yes Yes No 171 
			 8926905 Djanogly City Academy Nottingham Yes No No 226 
			 9094301 Morton School No No No 33 
			 9094630 Newman Catholic School Yes Yes No 77 
			 9095408 North Cumbria Technology College Yes No No 31 
			 9164039 Vale of Berkeley College No No No 7 
			 9164040 Brockworth Enterprise School No No No 87 
			 9194117 The Sele School Yes No No 61 
			 9194154 Onslow St Audrey's School No No No 54 
			 9195427 Hockerill Anglo-European College No No No 162 
			 9254036 The City of Lincoln Community College Yes No No 112 
			 9254609 St Clements College No No No 103 
			 9255414 Joseph Ruston Technology College No No No 11 
			 9255423 The Giles School No No No 136 
			 9264048 Charles Burrell High School Yes No No 77 
			 9264067 Heartsease High School Yes Yes No 43 
			 9264068 Earlham High School No Yes No 86 
			 9265403 Costessey High School No Yes No 130 
			 9284103 Unity College Yes No Yes 78 
			 9314074 Peers School No No No 47 
			 9314145 St Gregory the Great VA Catholic Secondary School Yes Yes No 131 
			 9365405 Epsom and Ewell High School Yes No No 123 
			  Note: Age at start of academic year, i.e. 31 August 2006.

History: Secondary Education

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to encourage the study of history at GCSE and A-level.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: History is a statutory subject for all pupils to the end of key stage 3, normally age 14, and at key stage 4 students are entitled to follow a humanities course (comprising geography and history).
	The review of statutory requirements for key stage 3 was completed in 2007 and new programmes of study are being implemented in the current academic year for children in year 7. The range and content of the key stage 3 programme of study set out the aspects of British, European and world history on which teachers should draw when teaching the skills of historical enquiry, use of evidence and communicating about the past. The new programmes of study also allow for joint working on issues such as diversity and ethnicity; and there are strong links between citizenship education and the teaching of history. More detailed information can be found on the QCA website:
	www.qca.org.uk/curriculum.
	History remains popular at KS4 and beyond, with 202,753 pupils entered for GCSE in 2007 and 67 per cent. of pupils achieving grades A* - C. In the same year, 40,542 pupils entered for A-level history; 25 per cent. achieved a grade A and 27 per cent. a grade B.

Home Education: Public Consultation

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what steps he has taken to ensure that people who do not have access to the internet are able to respond to his Department's consultation on home educators;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to inform home educators about his Department's consultations on home education;
	(3)  what representations he has received from local authorities about his Department's consultations on home education; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The team carrying out the independent review of home education has invited stakeholders including home educators and local authorities to offer evidence to inform the review. This call for evidence is not a public consultation.
	The Department has notified a number of key stakeholders about the review. These include local authorities and all the representative groups from the home education community that the Department is aware of. Evidence can be supplied to the review team using an online form, through email or by writing to the review team.
	All local authorities have been invited by the review team to complete a questionnaire and 48 responses have been received.

Information System for Parents and Providers

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what information will be published from the Information System for Parents and Providers;
	(2)  what agreed suppliers there are in each local authority for the Information System and Parents for Providers;
	(3)  when each local authority will bring the Information System for Parents and Providers into operation.

Beverley Hughes: The Information System for Parents and Providers (ISPP) will provide a web-based comprehensive directory of information, advice and support services to parents, front line workers in local authorities and third sector services working with parents. The directory will include information collected by Ofsted and local authorities in England on childcare provision and other services which may be of benefit to parents, prospective parents, children and young people together with information provided by the Department on service providers who operate nationally. The system supports local authority delivery of their duty under section 12 of the Childcare Act 2006 to provide such service information to parents.
	The ISPP, which will be publicly known as the Parent Know How directory, will significantly enhance parents' access to information on a far wider range of parenting and childcare topics than is currently available.
	The Department has provided funding to local authorities to purchase their own information management systems according to local needs and so the choice of supplier is a matter for each local authority, based on guidance from the Department on requirements for these systems.
	We expect each English local authority to implement their local information management system connected to the ISPP so that it can go live in September 2009.

International General Certificate of Secondary Education

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department plans to fund the International General Certificate of Secondary Education approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The iGCSE awarding organisations (Edexcel and Cambridge International) have not submitted any iGCSEs for accreditation by Ofqual.
	Ofqual has recently accredited a number of Cambridge International Certificates, which have similarities to Cambridge International's iGCSEs. They have just been submitted for approval for funding purposes and we shall consider them in the normal way.

Music Standards Fund

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been allocated to the Music Standards Fund in each of the next three years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: 82.56 million has been allocated to the Standards Fund Music Grant in each year of the current three year funding settlement, which runs from 2008-09 to 2010-11.

Music: Education

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will publish his response to the Ofsted report on Making More of Music.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We welcome this thorough analysis of music education which clearly shows what works in school music teaching and what does not. The report rightly illustrates how music can have much wider benefits to children and young people in terms of their engagement with education; their levels of self-esteem; and their progress across the whole of the national curriculum.
	We will not be producing a written response to the report but will instead concentrate our efforts on continuing with our programme of work to make the most of the unprecedented funding that we have committed for music education332 million to 2011and we will work with members of the Music Programme Board to address the recommendations that Ofsted makes.

Music: Teachers

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many staff were responsible for musical instrument teaching in  (a) headcount and  (b) full-time equivalent terms in maintained (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in each year since 1997.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information requested is not available.
	The number of music teachers in maintained primary schools is not collected centrally; the number of teachers of music in maintained secondary schools in England is collected as part of the Secondary School Curriculum and Staffing Survey. This is an occasional survey that does not provide a full time series.
	The following table gives data from the 2002 and 2007 surveys, the most recent years available, for full-time and full-time equivalent teachers (headcounts are not available). Please note, much musical instrument teaching is likely to be carried out by local Music Service staff, who will not be included in these figures:
	
		
			  Number of music teachers in maintained secondary schools in England; 2002 and 2007 
			   Full-time( 1)  Full-time equivalent( 1) 
			   2002  2007  2002  2007 
			 Music 6,300 5,900 n/a 6,500 
			 (1) Full-time teacher numbers are provided for 2002 and 2007; full-time equivalent teacher numbers (which includes part-time teachers) were only collected in 2007.  Note: Teachers are counted once under each subject they teach. A teacher is included in the total if they teach at least one period per timetable rotation of Music.  Source: Secondary School Curriculum and Staffing Survey, 2002/07

National Curriculum Tests

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make it his policy to implement online marking for Key Stage 2 national curriculum tests.

Jim Knight: In his report into the 2008 test delivery difficulties, Lord Sutherland recommended that the testing and assessment system should be modernised to include piloting on-screen marking. We accepted his recommendations in full and QCA is working with my officials to review the technological advances which would support test delivery from 2010 onwards.
	QCA has already undertaken some trialling of on-screen marking of the December 2008 round of single level tests, part of the Making Good Progress pilot. QCA and DCSF are considering the evidence from this pilot and its implications for the National Curriculum tests.
	Additionally, an Expert Group has been established by the Secretary of State to advise on proposed assessment arrangements and their delivery. The Group will take full account of Lord Sutherland's recommendations and will draw on a wide range of evidenceincluding that emerging from the pilot of Single Level Testsin reaching its conclusions.

National Curriculum Tests

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many pupils who achieved a level 5 in English in their Key Stage 2 examinations in 2004-05 also achieved a level 7 or higher in English in their Key Stage 3 examinations in 2007-08;
	(2)  how many pupils who achieved a level 5 or higher in mathematics in their Key Stage 2 examinations in 2004-05 achieved a level 7 or higher in mathematics in their Key Stage 3 examinations in 2007-08;
	(3)  how many pupils who achieved a level 5 in science in their Key Stage 2 examinations in 2004-05 also achieved a level 7 or higher in science in their Key Stage 3 examinations in 2007-08.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: 2007/08 data are not available. Data for 2006/07 can be found in table 8 of the Statistical First Release: National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 3 in England, 2006/07 (Revised), which can be found at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000776/index.shtml

Nursery Schools

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children were in nursery education in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Beverley Hughes: The number of part-time equivalent, free early education places, filled by three and four-year-olds can be found in table 4 of the Statistical First Release; Provision for Children Under Five Years of Age in England: January 2008. This publication can be viewed on the Department for Children, Schools and Families website at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsqateway/DB/SFR/s000790/index.shtml

Pre-school Education

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department plans to undertake a regulatory impact assessment on the planned extension of the entitlement to free nursery care from 12.5 to 15 hours per week in 2010.

Beverley Hughes: Extending the highly popular free early education entitlement from 12.5 hours a week to 15 hours, delivered more flexibly, is important both to ensuring all children benefit from high quality early education and parents are supported in balancing their work and family life. As part of the process towards extending the free entitlement, we will be making changes to regulations under section 7 of the Childcare Act and consulting widely on a revised code of practice for local authorities. We will include an impact assessment as part of the process.

Pre-school Education

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects free early learning to be available to all two-year-old children; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: We will extend the offer of free early learning and child care to 15 per cent. of the most disadvantaged two-year-olds in every local authority as the priority in our long term vision of a universal offer for all two-year-olds.
	This will reach around 23,000 children per year and cost around 57 million in total. Decisions regarding the pace of further rollout will need to be taken based on evidence gathered from the pilot and in light of wider fiscal considerations as part of the next spending review.

Pre-school Education: Arson and Vandalism

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of  (a) all childcare settings and  (b) childcare settings in the (i) five per cent. most deprived, (ii) 10 per cent. most deprived, (iii) five per cent. least deprived and (iv) five per cent. most deprived areas have closed for a period of one day or more as a result of an act of arson in each year for which records are available;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of  (a) all childcare settings and  (b) settings in the (i) five per cent. most deprived, (ii) 10 per cent. most deprived, (iii) five per cent. least deprived and (iv) five per cent. most deprived areas have closed for a period of one day or more as a result of an act of vandalism in each year for which records are available.

Beverley Hughes: Data are not collected centrally on the temporary closure of child care settings.
	Therefore, it is not possible to provide this information.

Pre-School Education: Finance

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 16 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1498W, on pre-school education finance, when the Child Care Strategy will be published.

Beverley Hughes: The child care strategy document was published on 28 January 2009.

Primary Education: Admissions

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children entered primary schools in each local education authority (LEA) in  (a) 2000 and  (b) 2005; what estimate he has made of the number of children who will enter primary schools in each LEA in (i) 2010, (ii) 2013, (iii) 2015, (iv) 2017 and (v) 2020; and what estimate he has made of the (A) number and (B) cost of primary school places required in each LEA in each of those years compared with 2009 requirements.

Jim Knight: A table showing the number of admissions to primary schools in 2000/01 and 2005/06 in each local authority area has been placed in the Libraries.
	Pupil projections by individual age are available at national level. At a local authority level, the Department relies upon authorities to prepare their own pupil projections.
	National pupil projections are available for each year to 2017. There is an increasing degree of uncertainty in projecting over longer time periods, influenced mainly by the underlying population trends. The following table shows the actual number of pupils in primary schools from 2003 to 2008, and projected figures for 2009 to 2017. Figures for pupils aged five, and rising fives, are separately shown (this is the nearest available information for new admissions to primary schools).
	
		
			  Local authority maintained primary schools: full-time equivalent number of pupils (1,000s)( 1) . Position in January each year: 2003 to 2008 (actual), 2009 to 2011 (projection). England 
			   Pupils aged 
			   Rising 5s( 2)  5-years-old 
			  Actual( 3)   
			 2003 186 580 
			 2004 186 565 
			 2005 181 559 
			 2006 178 544 
			 2007 176 534 
			 2008 181 530 
			
			  Projection   
			 2009 189 552 
			 2010 196 569 
			 2011 196 580 
			 2012 209 594 
			 2013 209 620 
			 2014 212 622 
			 2015 214 632 
			 2016 216 639 
			 2017 217 645 
			 (1) Includes dually registered pupils. (2) Pupils who turn 5 between 1 September and 31 December of the relevant academic year. (3) Source:  School Census 
		
	
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) prepares population projections at a local level and advises that these are robust by quinary age band. A table showing the projected change in population aged five to 10 (primary ages) by local authority area has been placed in the Libraries.
	Local authorities are responsible for ensuring sufficient school places are available for their area. The Department provides basic need capital funding to enable authorities to expand capacity where a growth in pupil numbers is anticipated.
	Estimates of the cost of primary schools places are not available for the years in question. We can provide the amount of funds delegated to maintained primary schools (individual schools budget plus revenue grants) from the most recent Section 52 data returns, relating to 2008/09, for each local authority. This information has been placed in the Libraries.

Primary Education: Greater London

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what estimates he has made of the number of parents of reception-age pupils in each London borough who obtained  (a) their first preference,  (b) their second preference,  (c) their third preference and  (d) none of their three preferences in respect of their child's primary school placement in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2007 and (iv) 2008; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many reception pupils in each London borough had not been allocated a primary school place by September in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007 and  (c) 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department does not collect data on offers of primary school places or on the number of unplaced children. Local authorities are under a duty to make sure that every child of compulsory school age has a suitable school place.

Pupil Referral Units

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils who attended pupil referral units were  (a) eligible for free school meals and  (b) had statements of special educational needs in each year since 1997.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The requested information is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Pupil referral units: schools meal arrangements and number of pupils with special needs with statements, position as at January 1997 to 2008, England 
			   Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals  Pupils with special needs with statements 
			   Number( 1)  Percentage  Number( 2)  Percentage 
			 1997 3,840 32.1 1,690 22.5 
			 1998 2,720 22.8 1,800 23.2 
			 1999 3,240 26.0 1,890 22.8 
			 2000 3,200 24.5 1,770 20.8 
			 2001 3,690 25.9 1,800 19.4 
			 2002 3,450 23.1 1,840 18.5 
			 2003 4,550 26.0 2,010 16.8 
			 2004 5,330 26.2 2,300 17.6 
			 2005 6,020 26.8 2,260 15.6 
			 2006 6,130 25.9 2,290 15.0 
			 2007 6,270 26.0 1,990 13.1 
			 2008 6,790 26.8 1,950 12.1 
			 (1) Includes dually registered pupils and boarding pupils. (2) Excluding dually registered pupils. Includes pupils with other providers.  Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census.

Pupils: Internet

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent assessment of the level of access to broadband at home is for  (a) all secondary school pupils and  (b) secondary school pupils from lower income households.

Jim Knight: The most recent research(1) published by my Department found that 90 per cent. of parents of school-aged children in England reported that they had computer and internet access at home. Among parents of secondary age children the figure was 91 per cent. for parents of children in Key Stage 3, and 93 per cent. for children in Key Stage 4.
	The research showed a variation in connectivity by social class. Among parents in social class E, 69 per cent. had a computer with internet access. The research did not distinguish broadband and dial-up connectivity. However Government statistics(2) show that most UK households with internet connectivity have a broadband connection: 65 per cent. of households had any internet access and 56 per cent. had broadband access.
	(1) Peters et al, Parental Involvement in Children's Education, London, DCSF, 2007
	www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/DCSF-RR034.pdf
	(2) National Statistics Omnibus Survey 2008
	www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=8

Schools: Catering

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what proportion of secondary schools allow all pupils to leave school premises at lunchtime;
	(2)  what proportion of maintained mainstream secondary schools have a lunchtime break of one hour or more.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We do not hold this information.
	Regulations state that a school day should be split into two sessions with a break in the middle of the day between those two sessions. There is currently no legal requirement on the length of the midday break and it is for individual schools' governing bodies to determine this.
	It is also for schools to determine their own policy on whether pupils are allowed to leave school premises at lunchtime.

Schools: Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools have Disability Equality Schemes in place; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer the hon. Member to my written answer of 29 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1159W.

Schools: Finance

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  whether he has plans to control the overall levels of school balances;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of local education authorities in preventing the accumulation of excessive school balances;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of the level of school balances.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We will shortly be publishing final data on school balances for 2007-08, but provisional data available through local authorities' published section 52 returns suggests that the total level of school balances at year end 2007-08 is 1.9 billion.
	We have not conducted a formal assessment of the progress that local authorities have made with their schools to reduce excess surplus balances. However, my officials have been working with local authorities to gather information about when they have been successful in retrieving surplus balances from schools; or when the authority has encountered considerable opposition from the schools and the public which has resulted in the local authority withdrawing their proposals to claw back balances.
	We continue to monitor school balances. When the three year funding settlement was announced in November 2007, local authorities were informed that we expected to see them work with their schools to reduce the total amount of surplus, uncommitted balances held by schools. If we do not see a sizeable reduction of the total balances by the end of 2010-11, then we will seek other measures to reduce this total. We will conduct a wide consultation on a detailed proposition before the measure is implemented.
	We have made it very clear that it unacceptable for schools to amass high levels of surplus, uncommitted balances and that their priority is to spend their funding to support the pupils of today.

Schools: Greater London

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of  (a) primary schools for (i) infant and (ii) junior pupils and  (b) secondary schools in each London borough were (A) community, (B) Church of England, (C) Roman Catholic and (D) other types of school at the last date for which figures are available.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The available information is shown in the table:
	
		
			  Primary and secondary schools( 1, 2) , percentage of schools by type of school, January 2008 (Final), London local authorities 
			   Primary schools( 1)  Secondary schools( 2) 
			   Community schools  Church of England(3)  Roman Catholic(4)  Other(5)  Total  Community schools  Church of England(3)  Roman Catholic(4)  Other(5)  Total 
			 Camden 48.8 31.7 19.5 0.0 41 55.6 0.0 22.2 22.2 9 
			 City of London 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 1  0.0 0.0 0.0 0 
			 Hackney 75.5 13.2 7.5 3.8 53 27.3 9.1 18.2 45.5 11 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 62.9 14.3 20.0 2.9 35 55.6 22.2 22.2 0.0 9 
			 Haringey 66.7 15.9 17.5 0.0 63 66.7 8,3 8.3 16.7 12 
			 Islington 65.9 18.2 15.9 0.0 44 60.0 10.0 20.0 10,0 10 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 46.2 26.9 26.9 0.0 26 25.0 0.0 75.0 0.0 4 
			 Lambeth 55.0 25.0 11.7 8.3 60 11.8 17.6 11.8 58,8 17 
			 Lewisham 69.1 14.7 14.7 1.5 68 50.0 7.1 14.3 28.6 14 
			 Newham 84.8 4.5 10.6 0.0 66 80.0 0.0 13.3 6.7 15 
			 Southwark 60.6 16.9 16.9 5.6 71 6.7 13.3 26.7 53.3 15 
			 Tower Hamlets 73.9 13.0 13.0 0.0 69 60.0 13.3 13.3 13.3 15 
			 Wandsworth 57.1 16.1 16.1 10.7 56 18.2 9.1 18.2 54.5 11 
			 Westminster 35.0 47.5 17.5 0.0 40 20.0 30.0 10.0 40.0 10 
			 Inner London 63.6 18.5 15.2 2.7 693 42.9 11.6 18.4 27.2 147 
			 Barking and Dagenham 85.7 4.1 10.2 0.0 49 88.9 0.0 11.1 0.0 9 
			 Barnet 57.5 16.1 12.6 13.8 87 40.0 5.0 20.0 35.0 20 
			 Bexley 71.2 11.9 11.9 5.1 59 41.2 5.9 23.5 29.4 17 
			 Brent 59.3 8.5 18.6 13.6 59 0.0 0.0 21.4 78.6 14 
			 Bromley 72.4 10.5 10.5 6.6 76 0.0 11.8 0.0 88.2 17 
			 Croydon 76.4 7.9 12.4 3.4 89 26.1 8.7 21.7 43.5 23 
			 Ealing 76.6 4.7 12.5 6.3 64 38.5 7.7 7.7 46.2 13 
			 Enfield 71.2 18.2 7.6 3.0 66 55.6 5.6 11.1 27.8 18 
			 Greenwich 72.3 10.8 15.4 1.5 65 64.3 7.1 21.4 7.1 14 
			 Harrow 84.9 1.9 11.3 1.9 53 80.0 0.0 20.0 0.0 10 
			 Havering 84.4 3.1 12.5 0.0 64 61.1 5.6 11.1 22.2 18 
			 Hillingdon 67.7 9.2 9.2 13.8 65 5.6 5.6 5.6 83.3 18 
			 Hounslow 86.4 3.4 10.2 0.0 59 64.3 7.1 21.4 7.1 14 
			 Kingston upon Thames 58.8 29.4 11.8 0.0 34 40.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 10 
			 Merton 74.4 11.6 14.0 0.0 43 37.5 12.5 25.0 25.0 8 
			 Redbridge 82.7 1.9 11.5 3.8 52 64.7 0.0 17.6 17.5 17 
			 Richmond upon Thames 63.4 22.0 14.6 0.0 41 87.5 12.5 0.0 0.0 8 
			 Sutton 70.7 9.8 12.2 7.3 41 35.7 7.1 14.3 42.9 14 
			 Waltham Forest 81.8 7.3 10.9 0.0 55 76.5 0.0 5.9 17.6 17 
			 Outer London 73.5 9.7 12.0 4.7 1,121 44.8 5.7 14.7 34.8 279 
			 London 69.7 13.1 13.2 4.0 1,814 44.1 7.7 16.0 32.2 426 
			 (1) Includes middle deemed.  (2) Includes CTCs and academies.  (3). Includes voluntary aided schools, voluntary controlled schools and foundation where the denomination is Church of England.  (4). Includes voluntary aided schools, voluntary controlled schools and foundation where the denomination is Roman Catholic.  (5) Includes non-religious schools, schools of other faiths, multi-faith schools and multi-denominational schools. For secondary schools also includes CTCs.   Source: School Census.

Schools: Hampshire

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects  (a) St John's Primary School in Waltham Chase,  (b) Bishops Waltham Primary School and  (c) Curdridge Primary School to receive their Raise Online reports.

Beverley Hughes: This is a matter for Ofsted. The HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Libraries.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	Full RAISEonline reports, containing contextual information and analysis based on 2008 Key Stage 1 data were made available to St Johns Primary School, Bishops Waltham Primary School and Curdridge Primary School on 24 November 2008. An updated report containing unvalidated Key Stage 2 data will be available in April 2009. The RAISEonline website will provide further details regarding the date of availability in March 2009.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to right hon. Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Schools: Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which maintained schools in Hemel Hempstead have broadband internet access.

Jim Knight: All maintained schools in the constituency of Hemel Hempstead have broadband internet access.

Schools: Music

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school pupils in maintained schools received specialist instrumental and vocal tuition in each year since 2001.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question of 5 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1489W.

Schools: Music

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to assess demand for specialist instrumental or vocal tuition amongst  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school pupils in maintained schools on a continuous basis.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Local authorities are currently drawing up their local three year music action plans, and have the main responsibility for addressing the needs and demands of children in their schools.
	The Standards Fund Music Grant is a major source of funding for local authorities to provide participation opportunities for its young people. The guidance to the grant states its purpose is spending on activities which enhance opportunities for pupils to access high quality music education, giving priority to instrumental and vocal opportunities at KS2. The guidance goes on to say that local authorities
	retain overall responsibility for monitoring the quality and value for money of the provision purchased, and for ensuring that access at KS2 is a priority.

Schools: Procurement

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department has established the support team for the online procurement tool for schools to date.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The OPEN e-procurement system is managed by a team that has been established in DCSF. The team are responsible for managing the service on behalf of schools, provided by the OGC's contract with ProcServe who deliver a framework for provision of this e-procurement system. As part of the Department's support for schools it has established local educational procurement centres (EPCs) to provide on-the-ground support to schools on a regional basis, facilitating access to and support with the OPEN along with information and guidance to assist schools in understanding their procurement needs and maximise their budget.

Schools: Rural Areas

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many rural schools with unfilled teaching vacancies there are in each county.

Jim Knight: The information is not available in the format requested.
	Information on the number of full-time vacancy numbers and rates in local authority maintained schools in England by phase, local authority and Government Office Region is available from table 21 published in the Workforce Statistical First Release and is available at the following link:-
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000813/SFR262008_Tables_LA20081021-2.xls

Schools: Transport

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in each local authority were eligible for free transport to school in each year since 1997.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department does not collect information on the number of children who are eligible for free transport to school.

Social Services

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average number of days of sickness absence in each children's social services department in each local authority was for the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We do not hold any data centrally on sickness absence in local authorities.

Special Educational Needs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children received statements of special educational needs in January 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Information on the number of statements issued each month is not held centrally.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils with special educational needs obtained a BTEC qualification in each year since 1997.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information requested for 1997 to 2007 is not available. The information for 2008 is as follows:
	In 2008(1), 18,883 pupils(2) with special educational needs obtained a BTEC qualification at the end of key stage 4.
	(1) Figures are based on amended data.
	(2) Pupils attending all maintained schools plus non-maintained special schools.
	 Source
	National Pupil Database

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of pupils with  (a) a statement of special educational needs and  (b) unstatemented special educational needs who attended independent schools achieved five A* to C grades at GCSE (i) in all subjects and (ii) including English and mathematics in each year since 2003.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: This information is not held centrally as pupil level information is not collected from independent schools.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils with statements of special educational needs attended  (a) maintained and  (b) non-maintained special schools in each year since 1997.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The number of pupils with statements of special educational needs at maintained and non-maintained special schools since 1997 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Pupils with stateme nts of special educational need:  England 
			   Maintained special schools  Non-maintained special schools 
			 1997 87,330 5,030 
			 1998 87,930 4,710 
			 1999 87,330 4,390 
			 2000 86,880 4,610 
			 2001 87,400 4,500 
			 2002 85,800 4,490 
			 2003 85,800 4,840 
			 2004 84,250 4,700 
			 2005 83,290 4,740 
			 2006 82,570 4,660 
			 2007 82,490 4,610 
			 2008 82,410 4,540 
			  Note: Figures rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils with non-statemented special educational needs attended  (a) maintained and  (b) non-maintained special schools in each year since 1997.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Information on non-statemented pupils with special educational needs was only collected from maintained special schools since 2002 and from non-maintained special schools since 2003. The available information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Non-statemented pupils with special educational needs :  England 
			   Maintained special schools  Non-maintained special schools 
			 2002 2,410 (1) 
			 2003 1,890 40 
			 2004 1,800 30 
			 2005 1,750 40 
			 2006 1,690 60 
			 2007 1,690 30 
			 2008 1,890 40 
			 (1)  not available.  Note: Figures rounded to the nearest 10  Source:  School Census

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which maintained special schools had boarders in 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: A table has been placed in the Libraries indicating which maintained special schools had places for boarders in 2008, including those which closed during that year. This has been drawn from Edubase, which contains information supplied by local authorities and schools.
	The Department does not collect data on the number of boarders actually taking up places. In general, local authorities fund special schools on the basis of the number of pupils for which they are expected to cater, including boarders, whether or not the places are actually occupied. This enables a stable resource base to be maintained, while allowing for the admission of pupils whose needs are identified during the year.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many maintained special schools had  (a) between 100 and 200 pupils,  (b) between 201 and 300 pupils,  (c) between 301 and 400 pupils and  (d) over 400 pupils in 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The requested information is shown in the following table derived from the School Census returns made by schools to the Department.
	
		
			  Maintained special schools: number of schools by si ze( 1) , position as at January 2008, England 
			   Number of schools 
			 Between 100 to 200 pupils 280 
			 Between 201 to 300 pupils 22 
			 Between 301 to 400 pupils 0 
			 Over 400 pupils 1 
			 Total 303 
			 (1) Excludes dually registered pupils  Source:  School Census

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1730-31W, on special educational needs, what steps he is taking to ensure that school censuses do not undercount the number of looked-after children in schools.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department recognises that when the School Census began to identify looked- after children, it undercounted them, and it is possible that an element of undercounting remains. We are therefore exploring ways of obtaining this information via other means without placing additional burdens on local authorities.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1730-1W, on special educational needs, how many  (a) male and  (b) female pupils there were in each category in each year.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The requested information is provided in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools and all special schools( 1) : number of pupils( 2) , position in January each year 2004 to 2008, England 
			   Number of pupils who were eligible for free school meals and have statemented special educational needs  Number of pupils who were eligible for free school meals and have non-statemented special educational needs  Number of pupils who were eligible for free school meals and were children in care  Number of pupils who had statemented special educational needs and were children in care  Number of pupils who had non-statemented special educational needs and were children in care  Number of pupils who were eligible for free school meals, had statemented special educational needs and were children in care  Number of pupils who were eligible for free school meals, had non-statemented special educational needs and were children in care 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 2004 49,770 21,150 195,660 126,770 2,980 2,550 5,110 2,390 6,060 4,620 840 370 1,360 1,080 
			 2005 46,750 19,540 195,140 126,780 3,070 2,690 5,230 2,290 6,370 4,970 830 340 1,430 1,160 
			 2006 44,190 18,000 194,940 127,760 3,020 2,710 5,520 2,370 6,810 5,460 810 310 1,380 1,140 
			 2007 42,340 17,070 196,170 130,140 2,970 2,630 6,040 2,550 7,410 6,220 810 310 1,330 1,180 
			 2008 40,700 15,970 197,250 133,650 2,900 2,500 6,060 2,520 7,680 6,440 780 310 1,330 1,180 
			 (1) Includes primary and secondary schools, city technology colleges and academies and all special schools (excludes general hospital schools). (2 )Includes dually registered pupils and boarding pupils.  Note: Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  School Census

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children with statements of special educational needs were taught in classes of  (a) 21 to 30 pupils,  (b) 31 to 40 pupils and  (c) more than 40 pupils in each of the last five years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The requested information is not collected centrally.

Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal: Children in Care

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department plans to allow looked-after children the right to appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal  (a) in their own name and  (b) through a third party other than a local authority.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer the hon. Member to answer given on 2 February 2009,  Official Report, column 930W.

Special Educational Needs: Private Sector

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 2116-17W, on special educational needs: private sector, what the names are of the schools that opened between September 2005 and August 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The 228 independent schools catering wholly or mainly for pupils with special educational needs which opened between 1 September 2005 and 31 August 2008 are listed.
	The Education Act 2002 amended the definition of an independent school to include institutions providing full-time education for one or more pupils with a statement of special educational needs or a looked-after child. This resulted in a number of children's homes which provide education on the premises registering as independent schools.
	Acorn Cottage
	Gable End
	Midsummer House School
	Arvon House(1)
	The Birches
	The Old Gables(1)
	Lime Meadows
	Sherant Education
	The Ashbrook Centre
	Chilworth House School
	Hillcrest Kings Bromley
	The Stubbs
	Pennsylvania House
	Flying High
	The Shires At Stretton
	Park View School
	Peppercorn(1)
	Norden Way
	Pleasant Street
	Bankfield
	Hillcrest Norwood(1)
	Hillgate Farm
	Greenfields
	Glendale House
	David Banks School(1)
	Rosedale Co Central Office
	The Firs(1)
	The Old Farmhouse
	Castle Lodge School
	Learning To Listen
	Brook House Farm
	Middlehey
	Stubbs House Education Unit
	Condover Horizon School(1)
	The Linnet Independent Learning Centre
	Alexandra House(1)
	Moorgate
	Dane House
	Elmsfield
	Primrose Cottage
	WestonGreen Corns
	Park HillGreen Corns
	PilsworthGreen Corns
	ThamesGreen Corns
	BernardGreen Corns(1)
	FoxGreen Corns(1)
	Queens ParkGreen Corns
	Rooley MoorGreen Corns
	CronkeyshawGreen Corns
	ArgyleGreen Corns(1)
	GloucesterGreen Corns
	Further HeightsGreen Corns
	Middleton Lodge
	The Amicus School
	Moorlands School
	Lillesdon School
	Continuum School Somerset
	Staddons School
	Hollyoaks(1)
	Tadley Horizon
	Blue Mountain Education
	The Serendipity Centre
	Althea Park Education Unit
	Fair Holme
	Trax Academy
	Hobbit House
	Oliver House School
	Darwen School
	Nookin Cottage(1)
	The Croft
	Three Castles College
	The Close(1)
	March House
	High Trees
	Park View
	On Track Training Centre
	Elland House School
	Toadstool Cottage(1)
	Victoria House
	The Willows
	Wilford Court
	Farm Cottage
	The Symbol Academy
	Howard House
	Trinity Lodge
	Arundel House
	Roughbank Farm
	On Track Training Centre
	Whitty Tree House
	Newbridge House
	Villa Real Farmhouse
	Hillcrest London School
	Ivy Cottage Residential School(1)
	Barton School
	The Cedars
	Ark House
	Hopewell School
	Cornerstone School
	Oracle
	The Westside Independent School
	Roselyn House School
	Hurst Farm
	HillcrestHayling Island
	Trade Based Training
	My Choice School-Shopham Bridge Farmhouse(1)
	My Choice School-Ocean Pearl
	My Choice School-Kestral House
	Pear Tree School
	Farleigh College
	Essex Fresh Start
	Windsor House
	Wilds Lodge School
	Gloucester House the Tavistock Children's Day Unit
	Jigsaw School
	Eastgate House
	Springboard Education Junior
	Sycamore House
	Haven House At Meadowcroft
	Arnfield Independent School
	Corporation Farmhouse(1)
	Laurel Leaf School
	The Annex School House
	Meadowcroft School
	Trinity College
	Sketchley Horizon
	The Meadows
	The Daltons(1)
	Demeter House
	Broadlands Hall
	Valley House
	Willows
	Birmingham Rathbone Society
	Broadclough Lodge
	Waypoint House(1)
	The Evaglades
	Boyd House(1)
	Fletcher Street Greencorns
	Hunt Close Greencorns(1)
	Kingsway Greencorns
	Booth Greencorns Independent School
	Shellfield Green Corns
	Summit Greencorns
	South Parade Green Corns(1)
	Saxon Road Green Corns(1)
	Greenway Green Corns
	110 Peel House Lane Green Corns
	Liverpool Green Corns
	Halton View Green Corns
	Southover Partnership School
	Trent Lodge(1)
	Highfields
	Dove Adolescent Services
	Dove Adolescent Services
	Shelldene House School
	York House
	Ty Newydd
	Hope House School
	Rowan House
	Whitebeam SchoolGreen Corns(1)
	Regent SchoolGreen Corns
	The Education Centre
	Education and Youth Services (Herts)( )(1)
	T Plus Centre (Taliesin Education)
	Papillon House
	Kirby Moor School
	Unsted Park School
	Hartlepool School Education and Vocational Training Centre
	47 Lowerhouse LaneGreen Corns
	62 PeelhouseGreen Corns
	Merecroft School
	The Cornerstone
	Hope View School
	Newfields School
	Willoughby School
	Lunts HeathGreencorns
	New Options (Higford) School
	Granville Greencorns(1)
	Waidshouse Greencorns Independent School(1)
	The Barn Greencorns
	Pumping Station School
	The Island Project School
	The Elms
	The Farringdon Centre
	The Gables
	Provident House School
	Alder Meadow Green Corns Independent School
	Insights Education Centre
	Shalom Place
	Swan Lodge
	Ferndearle
	Halton House School
	Oasis School
	Horizon School
	Bloomfield College
	The Evolution Centre
	Gryphon School
	The Boulters Learning and Skills Centre
	Cumberland School
	Keyes Barn
	Seameadows
	Lovells Hall
	Education and Youth Services Ltd, Carlisle
	Warrington School
	Worldshapers Academy
	Thornton Heath College
	Jemini Response
	Banks Croft School
	Blue Skies School
	Kisimul School
	Hazel House
	Claybrook Cottage School
	Yail (Gainsborough)
	Pathfinders School
	Pathfinders School
	Education and Youth Services Ltd (4)
	Snowflake School
	Spring Vale School
	Stone House School
	Hill Farm College
	Aim Habonim
	Encompass Education
	Fitzwalter Greencorns
	Seaview Learning Centre
	Great Howarth College
	St. Anne's Independent PRU
	The Tutorial Foundation
	St. Nicholas Lodge (Broadstairs)
	Aethelstan College
	(1) These schools are no longer open.

Specialised Diplomas: Suffolk

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils attending schools in Suffolk have been entered for diploma qualifications to date.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The number of pupils starting the diploma this September 2008 in the Suffolk local authority is shown in the following table. There is only one consortium in Suffolk (North Suffolk Partnership) which is only offering the engineering diploma.
	Sir John Leman High School, Leiston Community High School and Bungay High School are the three schools teaching the engineering diploma.
	
		
			  LA  Line  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3 
			 Suffolk Eng 16 15 9

Teachers: Pay

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the cost projections for the introduction of bonuses for teachers in deprived areas;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on bonuses for teachers in deprived schools in each of the next five years;
	(3)  in what year the first bonus for teachers in deprived areas will be paid;
	(4)  from which funding stream golden handcuffs for teachers in deprived areas will be drawn;

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The cost of the 'golden handcuff' element of the incentive package announced in the New Opportunities White Paper on 13 January will depend entirely on the decisions made by individual schools. Some may choose not to take part in the initiative and those that do will be able to select which new teachers they want to offer the incentives to.
	Head teachers will be able to offer the 'golden handcuff' to teachers taking up new posts in around 540 eligible schools from September 2009.
	We are currently considering the precise structure of the incentive payment, so detailed costing are not yet available. However, the overall cost of a scheme as set out in the White Paper, New Opportunities, will be affordable within the overall schools budget in 2010/11. Future years fall outside the current spending review period, so it is not possible to identify allocations beyond 2010/11.

Teachers: Pensions

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps will be taken to ensure that recipients of teaching pensions who have been overpaid receive clear information explaining  (a) the reasons for the past miscalculation and  (b) the new pension payment figures.

Jim Knight: In December 2008 we arranged for Capita Teachers' Pensions (TP), our pensions administrator, to write to all those pensioners who were known to be affected by this issue. The content of the letter was agreed across the public service pension schemes and provided a detailed explanation of how the calculation of an element of their pension, known as the guaranteed minimum pension, caused the overpayment. This was supported with a dedicated telephone helpline, which has received approximately 1,000 calls to date. TP will be writing again to those pensioners before the end of February to advise them of the impact on their pensions. At that time they will be provided with further information on how their revised pension amount has been calculated. A dedicated telephone service will continue to be provided to further assist those pensioners to understand their pension calculation.

Truancy: Disadvantaged

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children in each decile of  (a) area deprivation by pupil residence and  (b) area deprivation by school residence have been recorded as having at least one unauthorised absence in the last year for which data are available.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Percentage of children in schools( 1,2)  recording an unauthorised absence( 3)  by IDACI decile( 4)  of pupil residence and school location, 2006/07 
			  IDACI decile( 4)  Percentage of pupils with at least one recorded unauthorised absence( 3) 
			   By pupil residency  By school location 
			 0-10% most deprived areas 38.5 35.7 
			 10-20% 35.2 32.7 
			 20-30% 31.6 29.7 
			 30-40% 28.0 28.5 
			 40-50% 24.8 25.1 
			 50-60% 22.2 24.1 
			 60-70% 19.9 21.6 
			 70-80% 18.2 21.7 
			 80-90% 16.8 21.1 
			 90-100% least deprived areas 15.4 20.3 
			 Total 25.9 25.9 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (3) Pupil must have recorded at least one session missed due to unauthorised absence where a session is a half day. (4) 2004 Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index at Super Output Area level.

Young Offenders

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of people detained in young offender institutions  (a) are from care home backgrounds, (b) were children in care and  (c) have been assessed as having special educational needs, broken down by type of special educational need.

Beverley Hughes: Of the 59,500 young people looked after by local authorities at 31 March 2008, 130 were placed in a young offender institution (YOI) or prison. Data on the number of young people in YOIs who may have been looked after by local authorities earlier in their childhoods are not collected centrally.
	Data on the number of young people in YOIs assessed as having special educational needs are not collected centrally. The Learning and Skills Council collects information on the number of referrals of young people in YOIs to special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs). Returns from August 2007 to July 2008 indicate that 3,320 such referrals were made over the period.

Young People: Antisocial Behaviour

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 11 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 1081-2W, on young people: antisocial behaviour, who will conduct the independent national evaluation; what procedure will be used to appoint the evaluator; and when the evaluation will be complete.

Beverley Hughes: The evaluation will be carried out by an independent contractor, chosen through a competitive tender. The Department plans to issue tenders in spring 2009, and the evaluation will complete after the projects finish in April 2011. Interim results will be available before then.

Young People: Sports

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what discussions he has had with the Association for Physical Education (afPE) on the development of the Physical Education and Sport Strategy for Young People; and what plans he has to involve afPE in the future development of the strategy.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Ministers and officials from DCSF and DCMS meet afPE regularly to discuss PE and its place in the PE and Sport Strategy for Young People. Representatives from afPE are also part of a consortium which is currently delivering the professional development workstrand of the strategy. We value afPE's experience and expertise and we will continue to consult them on the development of the strategy.

Young People: Suffolk

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many 16 to 18- year-olds there were resident in Suffolk in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what proportion of these were  (a) in full-time work and  (b) not in education, employment or training in each such year.

Beverley Hughes: The Department publishes annual estimates of the number of 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) in England. These estimates cannot be disaggregated to local authority level.
	However, we can use information collected by the Connexions Service to estimate the number and proportion of young people NEET at local authority level. The following table gives estimates of the number of 16 to 18-year-olds resident in Suffolk and the proportion who were in full-time employment and not in education, employment or training at the end of 2005, 2006 and 2007.
	
		
			   Number of young people aged 16-18  Proportion of young people aged 16-18 in full time employment  (percentage)  Proportion of young people aged 16-18 NEET  (percentage) 
			 2005 21,112 17.5 8.6 
			 2006 21,206 18.7 8.4 
			 2007 20,928 19.6 7.2

Youth Facilities: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent steps the Government have taken to improve youth facilities in Coventry.

Beverley Hughes: The Government have allocated a total of 185,300 per annum over the period 2008-11 to the Youth Capital Fund (YCF) in Coventry local authority. YCF empowers young people by giving them control over funding decisions for new facilities in their area.
	Coventry is also receiving an additional 452,000 in 2008-09 via the Youth Capital Fund Plus which will deliver a significant new facility in a neighbourhood with a high level of deprivation, crime and antisocial behaviour.
	In December 2008 Coventry and Warwickshire YMCA received 1.5 million from the Youth Sector Development Fund to develop a programme aimed at engaging young people involved in gangs, antisocial behaviour and crime in positive activities.
	In addition, since April 2008, all local areas have had the opportunity to bid for funding for world-class youth facilities through the Government's 202 million myplace programme.

Youth Inclusion Programme

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2008,  Official Report, column 717W, on crime prevention: young people, on which 110 estates the Youth Inclusion programme operates; and on what criteria those estates were selected.

Beverley Hughes: The specific names of the estates in which Youth Inclusion programmes (YIPs) run are not formally collected centrally by the Youth Justice Board. However, the information about each area that is available, which in many cases does include the names of relevant estate, is included in annex A.
	The criteria upon which estates are selected are high scores for both deprivation and crime.
	The number listed is over 110. This is due to local flexibilities which allow for youth offending teams to set up additional YIPs from their prevention budgets where they deem appropriate.
	 ANNEX A
	 Youth Inclusion  p rogrammes  February 2009
	Barking and Dagenham (Abbey)
	Barking and Dagenham (Gascoigne)
	Barking and Dagenham (Goresbrook)
	Barrow in Furness (Hindpool)
	Bedford (Cauldwell)
	Bedfordshire (Dunstable)
	Birmingham (Shard End)
	Birmingham (Sparkbrook)
	Birmingham (Washwood Heath)
	Birmingham (Kingstanding)
	Birmingham (Lozells)
	Blackburn (Mill Hill)
	Blackburn (Whitebirk)
	Bolton (Farnworth) New Bury Estate
	Bournemouth and Poole (Boscombe East and West)
	Bradford (Newlands)
	BracknellJunior YIP
	Brent (Church End and St. Raphaels)
	Brighton and Hove (EastMoulsecoomb, Whitehawk)
	Bristol (Barton Hill)
	Bristol (Henbury)
	Burnley (Trinity)
	Calderdale (North Halifax)
	Camden (Juniper Crescent, Clarence Way, Denton))
	Cardiff (Ely and Llanrumney)
	Ceredigion (Aberystwwyth West and Penparcau wards)
	Coventry (Wood End) Bell Green
	Conwy and DenbigshireRhyl
	Derby (Osmaston)
	Derby (Osmaston)
	Derby (Mackworth)
	Derby (Alvaston)
	Derby (Derwent)
	Derby (Derwent)
	Devon (Gorwell and Frankmarsh)
	Devon (Forches and Whiddon Valley)
	Devon (Teignmouth)
	Devon (Exwick)
	Doncaster (North Area)
	Durham
	Easington (Whole Area)
	East Riding (Goole)
	Gateshead (Felling)
	Greenwich (Eltham) Page
	Hackney (North Hackney) Woodberry Down, Stamford Hill, Guiness Trust
	Hackney (South YIP) Fellows Court, Holly St., Frampton Court, Blackstone
	Hammersmith and Fulham (White City)
	Haringey (Somerford Grove, Suffolk, Edgecott, Tiverton, Noel Park, Campsbourne)
	Harrogate
	Hartlepool
	Houghton Regis and Dunstable (Parkside)
	Hull (Preston Road)
	Islington (Finsbury and Tollington wards)
	Kensington and Chelsea (Delgarno)
	Kirklees (Dewsbury Moor)
	KnowsleyNorth Huyton (Page Moss Estate)
	Lambeth (Moorlands, Loughborough, Angel Town)
	Lancashire (Preston) See Preston
	Leeds South (Middleton)
	Leeds West (Bramley)
	Leicester City (three Junior YIPs)
	Liverpool (Kensington)
	Liverpool (Anfield/Everton) Walton Estate
	Luton (Farley and Dallow)
	Manchester (East)
	Manchester (NorthCrime Concern)
	Manchester (North)
	Manchester (Wythenshawe)
	Merthyr Tydfil (North) Gurnos Estate
	Middlesbrough (East)
	Neath Port Talbot (Sandfield)
	Newcastle upon Tyne (Elswick, Wingrove)
	Newham (Forest Gate, Canning Town)
	North Lincolnshire (Riddings)
	North Lincolnshire (Westcliffe)
	Northumberland
	Nottingham (Meadows)
	Nottingham (Radford)
	Nottingham
	Nottingham
	Oldham (Greenacres)
	Peterborough (Gladstone/Central Ward/Millfield)
	Plymouth (St. Budeau and Barne Barton)
	Portsmouth (Portsea)
	Preston Brookfield
	Preston Ribbleton
	Redcar and Cleveland
	RochdaleKirkholt Estate, Middleton Spring Vale Estate, Heywood
	Rotherham (Herringthorpe)
	Salford (Weaste)
	Sandwell
	Scarborough
	Scunthorpe (North Lines)
	Sedgefield
	SeftonBootle (Hornby Drive Estate)
	Sheffield (Shire Green)
	Skipton
	Slough
	Somerset (Shepton Mallet and Coleford)
	South Tyneside (Whitelees, Biddick Hall)
	Southampton (S014)
	South Gloucestershire (Bradley Stoke)
	Southwark (Rockingham, Heygate, Peckham, Bermondsey, Aylesbury and Walworth)
	St HelensParr Estate
	Staffordshire
	Stockton-on-TeesRagworth, Wrensfield, Newtown
	Stoke-on-Trent (Stanfields and Meir)
	Sunderland (North Washington)
	Swansea (Penderry, Mynydd Bach) Clase Estates
	Swindon
	Tameside Ashton-Under-Lyne
	Torbay (Paignton) not ward based
	Torbay (Brixham) not ward based
	Torbay (Torquay) Pendennis, Ellercombe and Watcombe
	Tower HamletsSt. Dunstans, Stepney Green, Whitechapel, Weavers, Bethnal Green
	Tower HamletsMile End, Globe Town, Spitalfields, Banglatown
	Tower HamletsSt. Katharines, Wapping, Shadwell, Bow and Bromley-by-Bow
	Wakefield
	Walsall (WS3.WS10) Blakenall
	Waltham Forest
	Wandsworth (Roehampton) Tooting, Battersea, Roehampton
	Wear Valley
	Wiltshire (Adcroft and Drynham)
	WirralWoodchurch, Lesowe, Wallasey, North Birkenhead, Central Birkenhead, Rockferry
	Wolverhampton (Low Hill/Bushbury)
	WrexhamCaia Park
	Wycombe, Bucks

TRANSPORT

Ashchurch Station

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many calls Cross Country Trains services are required to make at Ashchurch station  (a) each day and  (b) each week; what recent changes have been made to this requirement; whether any further changes are planned; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The service level commitment within its franchise agreement requires Cross Country to call at Ashchurch station on Mondays to Saturdays. Four services to Birmingham New Street and two services to Cardiff Central are required to be provided. The current service level commitment commenced on 14 December 2008. The previous service level commitment required Cross Country to operate two services calling at Ashchurch in the direction of Cardiff Central. There are no current plans to change this current level of service.

Aviation: Fares

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Eddisbury of 11 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 955-56W, on aviation: fares, if he will provide details of the data referred to in note 3 to the table.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The domestic component of the average air fare referred to in note 3 of the table has been based on a sample of fares data compiled from air passenger interviews conducted by the CAA on 12 domestic routes, excluding passengers transferring to international flights.
	
		
			  Average domestic air fare, 1997 prices 
			
			 1997 143 
			 1998 145 
			 1999 143 
			 2000 141 
			 2001 135 
			 2002 117 
			 2003 112 
			 2004 105 
			 2005 104 
			 2006 102 
		
	
	The sample of routes that this table is based on is as follows:
	GatwickGlasgow
	GatwickNewcastle
	HeathrowAberdeen
	HeathrowBelfast International
	HeathrowEdinburgh
	HeathrowManchester
	LutonGlasgow
	LutonAberdeen
	ManchesterBelfast International
	ManchesterEdinburgh
	ManchesterSouthampton
	StanstedPrestwick
	The domestic fare index is based only on routes from airports that are continuously surveyed by the CAA, as many domestic routes are between regional airports that are only intermittently surveyed. Fares at Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester airports were surveyed continuously over the whole period, but Luton and Stansted were surveyed continuously by the CAA only from 2000 onwards.
	In addition, the index has been compiled only from domestic routes that have been operational throughout the time period under analysis.

Bus Services: Driving Instruction

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which bus companies operating in the Greater London area have delegated driving examiners.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Greater London bus companies that are approved to appoint delegated examiners are as follows:
	Arriva London North
	Arriva London South
	Docklands Minibuses
	East London Bus and Coach Co.
	First London
	London General Transport
	London United Busways Ltd.
	Metrobus Ltd.
	Metroline Travel Ltd.
	National Express London
	The delegated examiners may conduct tests for sister companies both inside and outside the Greater London area.

Bus Services: Standards

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus drivers were examined under the driver quality monitoring scheme in each year since 2005; and how many were found to be  (a) unacceptable with serious faults and  (b) unacceptable with dangerous faults in each such year.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 11 February 2009
	The Driving Standards Agency provides Driver Quality Monitoring (DQM) assessments to bus companies on a commercial basis. The Agency has no powers to revoke a bus driver's licence based on the outcome of a DQM assessment.
	The following table shows the number of DQM assessments conducted by the DSA.
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Total DQM assessments 9,059 9,089 8,177 
			 Unacceptable serious faults 3,311 2,783 2,086 
			 Unacceptable dangerous faults 136 113 77 
		
	
	A serious fault is defined as a significant deviation from the defined outcome with safety, control and/or legal requirements breached, such as moving off from a bus stop causing a car driver from the rear to brake.
	A dangerous fault is defined as safety, control and/or legal requirement breached that would have caused actual danger, such as moving off from a bus stop into the path of a car from the rear causing the other driver to swerve to avoid a collision.
	The data from the assessment are collated and reported back to the client on the next day, for potential remedial action. For those assessments recording dangerous faults the bus company is notified on the day of the assessment. In all cases the client is responsible for any further action. Some operators use these reports for disciplinary and reward purposes.
	Bus companies use DQM assessments as part of their internal quality supervision arrangements. The Agency's records indicate that the proportion of assessments giving rise to serious and dangerous markings decreases year on year during the life of a DQM contract.

Bus Services: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how much his Department has spent on supporting bus services in York in each year since the creation of the York unitary authority;
	(2)  how much his Department has spent on road improvements in City of York constituency in each year since the creation of the York unitary authority.

Paul Clark: Funding provided by the Department for Transport to local authorities is not generally ring-fenced and local authorities have discretion to spend their allocations in line with their priorities. Figures are not therefore available at constituency level.
	The Department allocates integrated transport block funding to local transport authorities for general capital investment in transport. Figures are available from 1997-98 and are shown in  millions in Table 1:
	
		
			  Table 1: Capital support for transport schemes in City of York council 
			   million 
			   Integrated transport block  Total pre-LTP funding 
			 2008-09 3.737  
			 2007-08 4.141  
			 2006-07 4.478  
			 2005-06 4.900  
			 2004-05 4.840  
			 2003-04 4.700  
			 2002-03 4.400  
			 2001-02 4.900  
			 2000-01 1.550  
			 1999-2000  1.983 
			 1998-99  1.127 
			 1997-98  2.212 
		
	
	Revenue expenditure on transport is generally supported through the Department for Communities and Local Government's Formula Grant.
	 Rural Bus Subsidy
	The City of York council also receives grant funding to help support marginal bus services through the rural bus subsidy grant (RBSG) and rural bus challenge (RBC), as shown in Table 2:
	
		
			  Table 2: Bus subsidy for City of York since 1998-99 
			   
			   RBSG  RBC 
			 2008-09(1) 137,852  
			 2007-08 134,466  
			 2006-07 131,322  
			 2005-06 128,178 (2)185,700 
			 2004-05 123,342  
			 2003-04 109,261  
			 2002-03 107,008  
			 2001-02 93,491  
			 2000-01 73,216 235,858 
			 1999-2000 73,216  
			 1998-99 73,216 180,000 
			 (1) Since April 2008, RBSG has been included in Area Based Grant allocations to local authorities. (2) Part of the 2005 Kickstart bus funding competition. 
		
	
	 Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG)
	Local bus service and community transport operators receive bus service operators grant (BSOG) from this Department, amounting to over 400 million in 2008-09. Records are not kept of BSOG expenditure by local authority area.
	 Concessionary fares
	Before 1 April 2008, funding for the statutory minimum bus concession was provided exclusively through the Formula Grant system, which is administered by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG). The Department for Transport therefore provided no funding to City of York council for concessionary bus travel prior to this date.
	The Department did however provide City of York council with 130,972 in 2007-08 for the cost of producing and issuing the new England-wide bus passes to all their eligible people. In 2008-09 DFT will provide City of York council with special grant funding of 1.1 million for the improvement to statutory concessionary travel; this is in addition to the existing formula grant funding from CLG.
	The Department also provides block funding for road improvements and maintenance, as set out in Table 3:
	
		
			  Table 3: Funding for road improvements and maintenance in City of York council 
			   Highways Maintenance  Other funding( 1)  Total 
			 2008-09 1.379 1.217 2.596 
			 2007-08 1.419 L 1.379 2.798 
			 2006-07 1.386 0.887 2.273 
			 2005-06 1.325 0.364 1.689 
			 2004-05 1.462 0.633 2.095 
			 2003-04 1.281 0.314 1.595 
			 2002-03 1.155  1.155 
			 2001-02 1.095  1.095 
			 2000-01 0.712  0.712 
			 1999-2000
			 1998-99
			 1997-98   0.977 
			 1996-97   2.262 
			 (1) Other funding covers capital and revenue funding for detrunking, and road safety capital funding. 
		
	
	In 1996-97 and 1997-98 the Department provided 3.239 million for the Peasholme Green bridge scheme.

Buses: Regulation

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to bus and coach operators of implementating the measures included in the proposed EU Regulation 2008/0237 on the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport.

Paul Clark: holding answer 12 February 2009
	 The Department for Transport will be consulting shortly on the European Commission's proposal for a regulation on bus and coach passenger rights including our initial assessment of its impact.

Buses: Regulation

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely effects on trends in the number of spurious claims of injury by bus and coach passengers of implementation of provisions in the proposed EU Regulation 2008/0237 on the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport.

Paul Clark: holding answer 12 February 2009
	 The European Commission's proposal for a new regulation on bus and coach passenger rights would make operators liable for loss or damage resulting from the death, personal injury or mental harm to passengers caused by an accident while the passengers were on, entering or leaving the vehicle. In certain circumstances the operator would not be able to contest damages, although they would not be liable if the accident was the fault of the passenger or caused by the passenger's negligence. No assessment has been made of the likely effect of these provisions on trends in the number of spurious injury claims made by passengers. The Department will shortly be consulting on the European Commission's proposal to help inform the Government's position.

Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls and Expenditure

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the gross annual revenue from the Dartford crossings was in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the costs of operating and maintaining the Dartford crossings were in the last year for which figures are available;
	(3)  what the cost of collecting tolls was for the Dartford crossings in the last year for which figures are available.

Paul Clark: The 2007-08 accounts were published on 29 January 2009 and show gross income of 67.3 million, managing agent costs of 15.8 million, which includes charge collection and general running costs, and other expenditure of 8.6 million which includes capital works. A copy of the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing Charging Scheme Account for 2007-08 has been placed in the House Library.

Departmental Databases

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of maintaining the databases owned and managed by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies was in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008.

Geoff Hoon: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Flowers

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on cut flowers in each of the last three years.

Geoff Hoon: The requested information is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   
			  DfT Organisational Unit  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			  DfT (c):
			 London HQ 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Air Accidents Investigation Branch(1) 0.00 180.00 0.00 
			 Marine Accident Investigation Branch 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 Rail Accident Investigation Branch 0.00 0.00 0.00 
			 
			 Driving Standards Agency 1,210.00 1,225.00 1,175.00 
			 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency(2) 100.00 150.00 0.00 
			 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency(3)
			 
			 Highways Agency(3)
			 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 40.00 27.49 29.50 
			 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency(3)
			 Vehicle Certification Agency(4)  245.00 850.00 
			  1,350.00 1,827.49 2,054.50 
			 (1) Relates to the Royal opening of a new wing of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (Farnborough) (2) The 100.00 spend in 2005-06 relates to the purchase of two flower arrangements for the Memorial Service of R Ley (DVLA Director) in June 2005 and the hire of two flower stands. The 150.00 spend in 2006-07 relates to the purchase of cut flowers for the victims of the letter bomb explosion at the Agency's mail room in February 2007. (3) Requested information can only be provided at disproportionate cost. (4) Relates to spend incurred during 2006-07 to 2008-09 (to date). Flowers are sent to staff following a serious, personal and often unexpected event. This would include a serious illness, major accident or bereavement. 
		
	
	This excludes spend by the Government Car and Despatch Agency, Highways Agency, and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency as the requested information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of those outside the Senior Civil Service in his Department received a bonus in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007 and  (c) 2008.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 29 January 2009
	 The Department for Transport comprises a central Department plus seven Executive agencies, each with its own pay and reward system. Information regarding non-consolidated performance pay has been collected from the central Department and all seven agencies and collated to one set of figures.
	The percentage of staff outside the senior civil service structure in the Department for Transport who received non-consolidated performance pay in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007 and  (c) 2008 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Percentage of staff outside of SCS receiving non-consolidated performance pay  Non-consolidated performance pay as a percentage of pay bill 
			 2005-06 71 1.47 
			 2006-07 77 1.67 
			 2007-08 72 1.56 
		
	
	The aforementioned figures exclude VOSA performance pay data for 2007-08 because this has not yet been paid.

Departmental Recruitment

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new recruits his Department took on in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07,  (c) 2007-08 and  (d) 2008-09; how many of these were taken on as (i) permanent, (ii) temporary and (iii) agency staff; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent figures for (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11.

Geoff Hoon: The number of new recruits taken on by the Department in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07,  (c) 2007-08 and  (d) 2008-09 and how many of these were taken on as (i) permanent, (ii) temporary and (iii) agency staff is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of permanent staff taken on  Number of temporary staff taken on  Number of agency staff taken on 
			 2005-06 2,234 480 645 
			 2006-07 1,931 555 944 
			 2007-08 1,415 827 949 
		
	
	The data in the table are for the Department for Transport (Centre) and its agencies. The figures for 2008-09 are not available. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has a category of staff termed casual staff which have been recorded under temporary staff in the aforementioned table; the Vehicle Operator Services Agency does not record agency staff numbers centrally; and temporary/fixed term staff are recorded within the permanent category for the Department for Transport (Centre) for 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08.
	Estimates for the equivalent figures for (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11 are not available.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Databases

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the number of inaccurate records on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's vehicle system software.

Jim Fitzpatrick: An accurate record is defined as one where the registered keeper of the vehicle or the driving licence holder can be traced from the details contained on the database.
	The latest estimate of the accuracy of the vehicles record showed it was 96.9 per cent. accurate. This equates to 1,052,662 records that are inaccurate.
	The latest estimate of the accuracy of the drivers record showed it was 81.5 per cent. accurate. This equates to 7,906,275 records that are inaccurate.
	The responsibility for notifying the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) of a change of address lies with the vehicle keeper or licence holder. So far as vehicle records are concerned there is an annual requirement to tax the vehicle and this transaction is a regular prompt to owners to fulfil the requirement to notify change of address. There is no equivalent annual driver transaction that prompts a notification.
	DVLA is not complacent about accuracy. The task is to encourage and support drivers and vehicle keepers to meet their obligations and to that end a dedicated accuracy improvement team has been established to improve matters. Current initiatives in hand include checks of credit reference agency databases for current addresses and working with others in the cross-government Tell Us Once initiative to obtain early notification of the death of a licence holder.

Driving Instruction: Greater London

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Driving Standards Agency driving examiners conducting passenger service vehicle tests there were in the Greater London area in the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Twenty-one.

Driving Instruction: Greater London

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many delegated driving examiners in the Greater London area were quality assured in 2008.

Jim Fitzpatrick: 18.

Driving Tests: Greater London

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the pass rate was of tests taken with delegated driving examiners in the Greater London area in each year from 2005 to 2008.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The pass rates of tests taken with delegated driving examiners working for bus companies, in the Greater London area between 2005 and 2008 are as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage pass rate 
			 2005 52.7 
			 2006 54.8 
			 2007 53.1 
			 2008(1) 57.3 
			 (1) January to August 2008 only.

Driving Tests: Greater London

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the pass rate was for passenger service vehicle driving tests taken by Driving Standards Agency examiners in the Greater London area in each year from 2005 to 2008.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Driving Standards Agency do not hold historical information on pass rates by calendar year. They do have this information by financial year as follows, along with the 2008 calendar year.
	
		
			  Greater London area 
			  Period covered  Percentage pass 
			 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008 41.6 
			 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 40.6 
			 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 41.1 
			 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006 40.9

Driving: Licensing

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what monitoring processes his Department and its agencies use to ensure equality of opportunity for members of ethnic minority groups  (a) applying for provisional driving licences and  (b) applying to take the driving test.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not monitor the ethnicity of applicants for a provisional driving licence.
	The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) completed an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) on the processes for applying to take a driving test in January 2008. This confirmed they were not influenced by ethnicity or race.
	DSA's driving test booking processes are validated annually via a 'mystery shopping' exercise. This ensures the assessment is undertaken anonymously and independently by independent researchers. This survey is undertaken to ensure that the processes validated by the EIA are performed correctly and fairly.

Driving: Licensing

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving licence change of address notifications were received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in 2008.

Jim Fitzpatrick: 2,181,677.

Garages and petrol Stations

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to require all petrol stations to provide a free air service for tyre inflation.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department does not have any plans to require all petrol stations to offer a free tyre inflation service. However, correct tyre inflation is important from a CO2 reduction perspective. This is why provision of tyre inflation equipment is included in a list of energy efficiency measures, on which the Department is seeking to establish a voluntary agreement with fuel suppliers. The Department is also promoting the importance of keeping tyres correctly inflated via the Act On CO2 campaign.

Heathrow Airport

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) primary and  (b) secondary legislation would be required before a third runway at Heathrow could come into operation.

Jim Fitzpatrick: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport made clear on 15 January 2009 the Government's strong environment commitments in relation to expanding Heathrow. These are firm obligations. The precise mechanisms needed to deliver themincluding any necessary legislationare under consideration and will be announced in due course.

Heathrow Airport: Carbon Emissions

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the effect of a third runway at Heathrow on levels of carbon dioxide emissions resulting from stacking by commercial aircraft awaiting clearance to land at Heathrow.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport's report, Improving the Air Passenger Experience, provides appropriate estimates of aircraft stacking above Heathrow. This report is available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation/airports/improveairpassenqer.pdf
	Figure 27 on page 25 shows that in 2006-07, 56 per cent. of arriving aircraft were held in a stack and for those held, there was an average 8.5 minute hold. This equates to roughly 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted by aircraft stacking at Heathrow in 2006-07.
	As the capacity constraint is reached at Heathrow, these delays and emissions are forecast to increase in future without additional capacity.
	Although the effect on stacking of a third runway has not yet been quantified, it is anticipated that a third runway will reduce the need for aircraft to be held in stacks. It will also enable the airport to operate with greater flexibility for slot re-timing with potentially fewer delays for passengers.

High Speed Trains: Lancashire

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with High Speed Two Ltd. on proposals to develop a high speed railway line between  (a) London and Lancashire and  (b) London and the centre of Birmingham;
	(2)  whether an assessment of proposals for a high speed railway line between London and Lancaster will be contained in the document to be produced by High Speed Two Ltd. by the end of 2009;
	(3)  whether he has commissioned research on the provision of a new high speed rail link to Scotland.

Paul Clark: A new company, High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd., has been formed to develop the case for high speed services between London and Scotland.
	As a first stage, the company is expected to bring forward proposals for Britain's second new high speed line, between London and the west midlands, by the end of the year, and to consider the potential for new lines to serve the north of England and Scotland. This will need to include an appraisal of the environmental, planning, technological, capacity, value for money and funding issues.

High Speed Trains: North East Region

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken to fund the development of high-speed rail links to and from the north-east in the next five years.

Paul Clark: A new company, High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd., has been formed to develop the case for high speed services between London and Scotland.
	As a first stage, the company is expected to bring forward proposals for Britain's second new high speed line, between London and the west midlands, by the end of the year, and to consider the potential for new lines to serve the north of England and Scotland. This will need to include an appraisal of the environmental, planning, technological, capacity, value for money and funding issues.

Humber Bridge: Road Traffic

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of levels of traffic on the Humber Bridge in each of the next 10 years.

Paul Clark: The Humber Bridge Board is responsible for estimating levels of traffic on the Humber bridge.

Humber Bridge: Tolls

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has made an assessment of the merits of a reduction of the Humber Bridge toll by 1 for a one-year period.

Paul Clark: It is for the Humber Bridge Board to make such an assessment and make an application to the Secretary of State.
	No such application has been made.

Low Emission Zones: Ambulance Services

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on  (a) the establishment of low emission zones by local authorities and  (b) the charges which may be imposed on ambulances operated by St. John Ambulance entering these zones; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: None, although the Department continues to discuss with a number of stakeholders, including the Environmental Industries Commission, DEFRA and CENEX, the role of low emissions zones.
	The establishment of a low emission zone is a matter for consideration by the relevant local authority, as are the criteria and standards for a scheme. That is, the criteria and standards, including which vehicles are affected and any exemptions, are determined by the relevant local authority as the scheme sponsor. This is most evident with the London low emission zone where Transport for London, directed by the London Mayor, administer and monitor the scheme.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicle excise duty (VED) licences were issued for domestic vehicles registered at addresses in City of York constituency in each VED band in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The numbers of licensed cars registered to private keepers in the City of York parliamentary constituency at the end of each of the last five years were:
	
		
			  Vehicle excise duty band  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 A: Up to 100g/km CO2 0 0 0 0 0 
			 B: 101-120 g/km CO2 16 18 35 76 159 
			 C: 121-150 g/km CO2 102 220 294 357 454 
			 D: 151-165 g/km CO2 71 158 282 404 549 
			 E: 166-185 g/km CO2 792 1,181 1,519 1,848 2,211 
			 F: Over 185 g/km CO2-registered before 23 March 2006 1,572 2,427 3,142 3,725 4,182 
			 G: Over 225 g/km CO2registered on or after 23 March 2006 n/a n/a n/a 70 162 
			 Licensed in the private and light goods vehicles class 29,941 30,057 29,628 28,991 28,096 
			 Exempt from VED 905 779 697 679 631 
			   
			 Total number of licensed privately owned cars 33,399 34,840 35,597 36,150 36,444 
		
	
	Cars registered prior to 1 March 2001 are licensed in the private and light goods vehicles class and not in relation to their carbon dioxide emissions.
	Statistics relating to the end of 2008 are not yet available, but are due to be published in April 2009.

Motor Vehicles: Licensing

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has of the current number of unlicensed  (a) cars,  (b) vans,  (c) lorries and  (d) motorcycles, broken down by make; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Estimates of the number of unlicensed vehicles in use in Great Britain are available by taxation class. Estimates for 2008 (in thousands) were as follows:
	
		
			  Taxation class  Estimated number of unlicensed vehicles (thousand)  Rate of unlicensed vehicles in active stock (percentage) 
			 Private and light goods 265 0.9 
			 Goods 3 0.7 
			 Motorcycle 44 3.6 
			 Bus 1 0.6 
			 Exempt 15 0.7 
			 Other 2 1.8 
			 All taxation classes 330 1.0 
		
	
	These estimates cannot be disaggregated by vehicle make.

Motor Vehicles: Licensing

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many unlicensed  (a) cars,  (b) vans,  (c) lorries and  (d) motorcycles were (i) clamped and (ii) crushed in each of the last three years for which information is available, broken down by make; what legislation authorises the (A) clamping and (B) crushing of unlicensed vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: A breakdown of the total number of vehicles clamped and crushed under Department for Transport legislation for the last three years is given in the following table. The figure for each year includes cars, vans, lorries and motorcycles. The statistical data held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency are not held in such a way to allow figures to be broken down by make.
	
		
			  Calendar year  Vehicles clamped  Vehicles crushed 
			 2006 89,941 38,309 
			 2007 128,681 45,802 
			 2008 157,977 59,409 
		
	
	The legislation that enables both the clamping and crushing of unlicensed vehicles is the Vehicle Excise Duty (Immobilisation, Removal and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations 1997, as amended.

Motorways: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps the Government have taken to improve the motorway infrastructure in the west midlands.

Paul Clark: Over the last three years 19 major maintenance schemes, each costing between 1 million and 5 million, have been completed; and one major project costing more than 5 million is under construction. These include resurfacing of carriageways and substantial repairs to the structures of the elevated sections of motorway within Birmingham and the Black Country.
	The following improvement schemes have also been introduced to tackle particular areas of congestion, improve safety and increase capacity:
	Active traffic management on the M42 east of Birmingham, which is now being extended northwards and introduced on the M40 and M6, with hard shoulder running on the M6 between junction 4 and 5, and junction 8 and 10a;
	Four lengths of MIDAS (motorway incident detection and automated signalling) on the M6 and M42;
	Increased capacity at the junction of the M42 and M6 toll road by adding an additional lane; and
	Traffic light signalisation of several junctions on the M5 and M6 to smooth flow during peak periods.
	In the Secretary of State's announcement 'Britain's Transport Infrastructure Motorway and Major Trunk Roads' on 15 January 2009, the following schemes that benefit the west midlands were identified as being expected to enter construction by 2015:
	Hard shoulder running on the M6 from junction 5 to 8 around Birmingham
	Hard shoulder running on the M6 from junction 10a to 13 north of Birmingham
	Improvement of M1 junction 19, the key intersection of the M6, M1 andA14.
	In addition, as part of our longer term plans to roll out hard shoulder running across the core motorway network over the next 10 to 15 years, this innovative technique is planned to be implemented on the following parts of the motorway network relevant to the west midlands:
	M6 from junction 2 to 4, between Coventry and Birmingham
	M6 from junction 13 to 19 in Staffordshire
	M5 from junction 4a to 6, south of Birmingham
	M1 junction 13 to 19, south of Rugby.

National Express East Anglia

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the management of National Express to discuss the  (a) level of their fares,  (b) quality of their service and  (c) morale of their staff.

Paul Clark: In addition to regular general meetings with the Association of Train Operating Companies and representatives of the train operators, Department for Transport Ministers meet senior representatives of all GB train operators every four weeks specifically to discuss rail industry operational performance.
	In addition, Departmental officials meet all franchise train operators every four weeks to discuss the delivery of franchise agreements and obligations.

Newhaven Marine Railway Station

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1135W, on Newhaven Marine railway station, on what date the passenger train service was last delivered by rail.

Paul Clark: Further to my answer of 3 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1135W Newhaven Marine station has not been safe for passengers since August 2006.

Official Cars: Snow and Ice

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many sets of snow chains the Government Car and Despatch Agency held for use on the Government car fleet on 2 February 2009;
	(2)  how many ministerial cars were in use on 2 February 2009; and how many were fitted with snow chains.

Jim Fitzpatrick: On 2 February 2009 ministerial transport movements were kept to a minimum, in line with advice given by the emergency services and the Highways Agency. The Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) was able to fulfil all its essential ministerial transport obligations on that day.
	GCDA does not fit snow chains to its car fleet.

Park and Ride Schemes: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many park and ride locations there were in York in each year since 1997.

Paul Clark: Since 1997 two park and ride locations have opened in York, at the Designer Outlet in 2000 and at Monks Cross in 2004. These are in addition to those opened at Askham Bar in 1990, Grimston Bar in 1994 and Rawcliffe Bar in 1996. Two new park and ride faculties planned on A59 and at Clifton Moor with openings anticipated in 2011-12.

Public Transport

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps the Government have taken to encourage people to use public transport.

Paul Clark: The Local Transport Act 2008, which secured Royal Assent in November 2008, will give local authorities enhanced powers to deliver better bus services and a more integrated transport system tailored to local needs.
	We are also investing heavily in improving both bus and rail services. Local and central Government now provide 2.5 billion in supporting the local bus network, double the level of spending a decade ago. This includes 1 billion for free off-peak bus travel anywhere in England for older and eligible disabled people and 57 million through the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant.
	We have also launched a new Kickstart bus funding competition which offers local transport authorities the chance to bid for a share of 25 million to pump-prime new or enhanced bus services in partnership with bus operators.
	The Government are putting record investment in rail as part of their strategy to give people an alternative to travelling by road and meet our environmental obligations on CO2 emissions. Over 10 billion will be invested in enhancing capacity between 2009 and 2014, with overall Government support for the railway totalling 15 billion.

Public Transport: Elderly

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps the Government have taken to make public transport more affordable for older citizens.

Paul Clark: The Government introduced the statutory minimum bus concession in England in 2001 giving half fare local bus travel at off-peak times to older and eligible disabled residents. In April 2006 this was improved to give free off-peak bus travel in a resident's local area.
	From 1 April 2008, this was extended England-wide so that 11 million older and eligible disabled people are entitled to free off-peak bus travel anywhere in England.
	The Government are providing around 1 billion each year to support the England-wide concession. An extra 212 million has been made available to local authorities from 2008-09, through a special grant, to fund the increased cost of the new statutory minimum bus concession. The funding allocation was approved following debate in the House on 25 March 2008.

Railway Stations: Opening Hours

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria his Department set for determining whether South West Trains be allowed to close ticket offices within the terms of its franchise agreement; and what criteria will be applied in decisions on First Capital Connect's proposed closures of ticket offices.

Paul Clark: South West Trains (SWT) submitted its proposals as a major change under the procedures of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement (TSAthe approved industry process for such matters), which sets the procedures that operators use to change ticket office hours.
	The major change procedure permits operators to make reductions in the opening hours of their ticket offices as long as the appropriate criteria are met. These are that:
	the change represents an improvement on current arrangements in terms of quality of service and/or cost-effectiveness; and
	that members of the public will continue to enjoy widespread and easy access to the purchase of rail products
	Following the required consultation period Passenger Focus (PF) and London TravelWatch (LTW) raised objections to the SWT proposal and the Secretary of State was required to arbitrate.
	The Secretary of State reviewed the proposal against the criteria set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, taking into account the views of Passenger Focus, London TravelWatch and SWT. No SWT ticket offices were closed completely.
	First Capital Connect's proposals are currently under consultation. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to make any comment on them at present as that may fetter the discretion of the Secretary of State if the proposals are referred by the operator for arbitration. However, should this arise the same criteria will be applied.

Railways: Accidents

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) injuries and  (b) deaths have occurred in accidents on railway crossings in (i) Hemel Hempstead and (ii) Hertfordshire in each year since 1998.

Paul Clark: There are no level crossings in the Hemel Hempstead area.
	The following data, relating to Hertfordshire, are based on incidents reported to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR 95). Figures for 2008 are provisional and may change with the receipt of coroners' findings for inquests that are currently outstanding.
	
		
			  Level crossing accidents in Hertfordshire 1998 to 2008( 1) 
			   Fatalities  Injuries  Total 
			 1998 1 0 1 
			 1999 0 1 1 
			 2000 1 1 2 
			 2001 1 0 1 
			 2002 2 1 3 
			 2003 2 0 2 
			 2004 0 0 0 
			 2005 1 0 1 
			 2006 1 0 1 
			 2007 0 1 1 
			 2008(1) 1 0 1 
			 Total 10 4 14 
			 (1 )Provisional figures.

Railways: Accidents

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) fatalities and  (b) injuries there have been on the railways in (i) Greater London, (ii) Sutton and Cheam constituency and (iii) nationwide in each year since 1998.

Paul Clark: Fatality and injury data by constituency can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, the other information requested on fatalities and injuries on the railways in Greater London and nationwide in each year since 1998 is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Table 1 :  Railway fatalities and injuries Great Britain1998-08( 1) 
			   Fatalities  Injuries 
			 1998 288 4,565 
			 1999 349 5,407 
			 2000 319 5,523 
			 2001 308 5,239 
			 2002 316 5,197 
			 2003 286 5,125 
			 2004 288 5,129 
			 2005 314 5,266 
			 2006 343 4,529 
			 2007 309 4,545 
			 2008(1) 309 3,988 
			 (1) Provisional figures. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Railway fatalities and injuries Greater London area only 1998-08( 1) 
			   Fatalities  Injuries 
			 1998 73 2,303 
			 1999 98 2,485 
			 2000 63 2,366 
			 2001 84 2,319 
			 2002 75 2,434 
			 2003 73 2,558 
			 2004 59 2,565 
			 2005 78 2,805 
			 2006 81 2,481 
			 2007 75 2,461 
			 2008(1) 81 2,074 
			 (1) Provisional figures. 
		
	
	The data are based on incidents reported to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR 95). The majority of fatality figures relate to incidents of trespass and suicide.
	Data for 2008 are provisional and subject to change.

Railways: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps the Government have taken to improve rail services to and from Coventry.

Paul Clark: The Government have specified an increase in the number of inter-city trains from two to three each way per hour between London, Coventry and Birmingham, and the additional services were introduced in December 2008. The Government have also specified an increase in the number of trains between Northampton, Coventry and Birmingham from one to two each way per hour throughout the day, and these too were introduced in December 2008.

Railways: East Midlands

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1305W, on railways: overcrowding, whether East Midlands Trains Class 158 trains will be providing a service during rush hour periods.

Paul Clark: Yes. East Midlands Trains is under an obligation to deploy all its available fleet during peak hours, which includes Class 158 units.

Railways: Fares

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1137W, on railways: fares, what reasons underlie the Government's policy on the provision of additional railcard schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: Railcards offer a discount against the full price of travel. They are designed to encourage travel by groups of people who might otherwise be unable to use rail and to encourage social inclusion. In general, railcards are for off-peak travel where there is spare train capacity.
	All franchised train operators must accept the Senior Railcard, Young Persons Railcard and Disabled Persons' Railcard. Other railcards are offered commercially by train operators.
	Factors in considering any additional railcard would include whether it was likely to reduce the revenue to the railway, and whether it would benefit those on a high income as well as those on a lower income. Fares revenue and subsidy together have to cover the costs of providing the service. We could require operators to offer more railcards but only if Government paid higher subsidies to offset the reduction in revenue. This would reduce the funds available for other things, including investment in train services.

Railways: Franchises

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria his Department uses to assign red light status to a rail franchise in its assessment of the financial position of train operating companies.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport uses a number of criteria in its routine reviews of the operational and financial performance of train operating companies. These include an examination of forecast costs and revenues going forward, as well as an analysis of wider economic forecasts that might have an impact on the franchise in question.

Railways: Franchises

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the value was of the bond deposited by each of the train operating companies awarded a rail franchise.

Paul Clark: The value of bonds deposited by train operating companies are based on a formula relating to the assessed costs of the franchise in question. As such the values of the bonds are commercially confidential.

Railways: Greater Manchester

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department plans to increase the carrying capacity of rail services in Greater Manchester; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: In the White Paper Delivering a Sustainable Railway of July 2007 the Government announced their intention to meet extra demand for rail travel into Manchester by 2013-14, namely an additional 2,200 passengers in the morning high-peak hour, and 4,100 passengers in the morning peak three hours. We are currently in discussion with relevant train operating companies on measures to meet this demand and will make announcements in due course.

Railways: Northern Region

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to increase rail capacity between Durham and Newcastle.

Paul Clark: In the White Paper Delivering a Sustainable Railway of July 2007 the Government announced their intention to meet extra demand for rail travel into other urban areas (including Newcastle) by 2013-14; in total, 2,000 passengers in the morning high-peak hour, and 3,600 passengers in the morning peak three hours for all such areas. The Government are currently in discussion with relevant train operating companies on measures to meet this demand, and will make announcements in due course.

Railways: Standards

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet UK train operators to discuss the  (a) level of fares,  (b) train punctuality,  (c) quality of rolling stock and  (d) level and quality of refreshment services on board trains.

Paul Clark: In addition to regular general meetings with the Association of Train Operating Companies and representatives of the train operators, Department for Transport Ministers meet senior representatives of all GB train operators every four weeks specifically to discuss rail industry operational performance.
	In addition, departmental officials meet all franchise train operators every four weeks to discuss the delivery of franchise agreements and obligations.

Railways: Wales

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assign the line from Bidston to Wrexham to Merseyrail; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: This is a matter for Network Rail as the owner and operator of the GB national rail infrastructure. The Welsh Assembly Government are responsible for the specification and funding of the franchised passenger services operated by Arriva Trains Wales between Bidston and Wrexham.

Railways: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on railway infrastructure serving the  (a) City of York and  (b) east coast main line in each of the last 15 years.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport does not hold the information in the form requested.
	The majority of capital investment on the railway is undertaken by Network Rail which is funded through a combination of direct grants from Government and track access charges levied on train operators. Details of total historic Government spending on the railway are published by the Office of Rail Regulation in National Rail Trends. Copies of this are available in the Library of the House and on the ORR's website at
	http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1863.

Roads: Lighting

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the likely effects on  (a) levels of road safety and  (b) numbers of road accidents of reducing the hours during which (i) street and (ii) motorway lighting is used; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: Street lighting service levels on local roads are a matter for individual highway authorities.
	The effects of reducing lighting levels or turning lights off will vary from case to case. Any reduction in energy use would have to be balanced against potential adverse effects, for example on accidents. The UK Lighting Board in conjunction with the Institution of Lighting Engineers has published Invest to Save which provides guidance to local authorities considering reducing lighting levels. The document can be found at the Institution of Lighting Engineers' website at:
	www.ile.org.uk
	In respect of motorways, the Highways Agency provides and renews lighting by conducting a cost-benefit appraisal based on the historic accident rates for individual locations. This aims to deliver improvements to road safety and reduced night time accidents, where they would have the most effect.
	Consideration is being given to switching off lighting on sections of motorway where there is a good safety record, traffic flows are low between midnight and 5 am, and have been subject to the completion of a thorough safety risk assessment.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to the public purse was of maintaining each  (a) motorway,  (b) trunk road and  (c) other road for which the Highways Agency was responsible in each year since 1997-98, broken down by road.

Paul Clark: The cost to the public purse of maintaining the motorways, trunk roads and other roads for which the Highways Agency was responsible in each year since 1997-98 is as follows:
	
		
			   millions 
			 2007-08 879 
			 2006-07 850 
			 2005-06 852 
			 2004-05 732 
			 2003-04 726 
			 2002-03 760 
			 2001-02 711 
			 2000-01 736 
			 1999-2000 726 
			 1998-99 638 
			 1997-98 499 
		
	
	The expenditure figures are for maintenance on the strategic road network managed and maintained by the Highways Agency. This includes renewal of the road surface and repairs to structures, as well as routine maintenance such as gully clearing, white lining, cleaning and winter maintenance. Costs excluded are those associated with our PFI contracts and our traffic and incident management service. To provide the aggregate of this information by individual road/route would require a significant amount of additional analysis, and as such could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
	Expenditure figures have been adjusted to account for spend relating to roads trunked or detrunked in the financial year.
	Spend figures prior to 2000-01 are based on cash accounting; the later years are based on resource accounting.

Roads: Safety

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding his Department has provided for road safety schemes in  (a) Eastbourne constituency and  (b) East Sussex in 2008-09.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport provided East Sussex county council with a specific road safety capital grant of 181,269 for 2008-09. It also provided 814,713 of resource funding on the basis of an assessment of road safety issues for the area based grant for East Sussex county council. The area based grant is paid to the local authority by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	In addition the Department for Transport has provided 4.504 million of capital funding in 2008-09 for integrated transport improvements, including for road safety. It is for East Sussex county council to decide how much of this to allocate to road safety related projects according to its local policies and priorities.
	The distribution of all this funding between the Eastbourne constituency and the rest of the county council's area is a matter for the county council.

Roads: Snow and Ice

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the  (a) adequacy and  (b) security of the supply of salt and other road gritting agents.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 10 February 2009
	The Department for Transport is working with the Cabinet Office, other Government Departments, the Local Government Association, individual local authorities and the Highways Agency to identify the current capacity of the main suppliers of road salt nationally and to work with those suppliers to enable salt supplies to get to those highway authorities with the most urgent needs.

Roads: Snow and Ice

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Highways Agency has spent on grit in each of the last 10 years.

Paul Clark: The Highways Agency does not use grit. The mineral used for the treatment of its network is road salt.
	The Highways Agency's routine and winter service is undertaken by its service providers. The procurement of road salt used for the treatment of the network is a part of the lump-sum activity of these service providers. The specific amount spent on road salt is not discernable from the contracts with our service providers.
	Salt usage for the strategic road network varies between 300,000-400,000 tonnes per annum and the current cost for road salt is approximately 25 per tonne.

Roads: Snow and Ice

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the  (a) Highways Agency and  (b) Salt Union on the distribution of salt to (i) Highways Agency depots and (ii) local authorities since 1 January 2009.

Paul Clark: holding answer 12 February 2009
	 The Government, Highways Agency, the Local Government Agency and individual local authorities have been working closely together to help prioritise the distribution of new supplies of road salt both to the Highways Agency for the strategic road network and to local highway authorities for local roads. As a consequence of this, since the onset of the adverse weather conditions, the Department for Transport has been in regular contact with Salt Union on their delivery plans and priorities.

Roads: Snow and Ice

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department has issued to the Highways Agency on minimum salt reserves; what level of salt stocks the Highways Agency held in each week since 1 January 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: holding answer 12 February 2009
	 The Highways Agency requires its service providers to hold a contractual minimum salting capability of four to six days (depending on the contract). This is based on heavy salting conditions, typically snow conditions. This requirement has been eased in recent days to reflect the adverse weather conditions.
	Given the recent severe weather and pressures on road salt supplies nationwide, the Secretary of State agreed that the Highways Agency should maintain an average salting capability for the strategic road network of at least three days based on heavy salting conditions.
	The following table shows the stocks held in capability days for the last seven weeks.
	
		
			   HA average salting capability (days) 
			 W/C 29 December 2008 average 9.60 
			 W/C 5 January 2009 average 8.37 
			 W/C 12 January 2009 average 8.60 
			 W/C 19 January 2009 average 8.77 
			 W/C 26 January 2009 average 7.83 
			 W/C 2 February 2009 average 4.90 
			 W/C 9 February 2009 average 3.67

Roads: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) adults and  (b) children died on the roads in York in each of the last 15 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of  (a) adults and  (b) children fatalities resulting from reported personal injury road accidents in the City of York each year since 1996 is given in the table:
	
		
			  Number of fatalities 
			   Adults  Children( 1)  Total 
			 1996 3 1 4 
			 1997 8 0 8 
			 1998 4 0 4 
			 1999 9 0 9 
			 2000 11 1 12 
			 2001 7 0 7 
			 2002 11 0 11 
			 2003 8 0 8 
			 2004 7 0 7 
			 2005 11 0 11 
			 2006 6 2 8 
			 2007 4 0 4 
			 (1) Children aged 0-15 
		
	
	Information is given only from year 1996 onwards due to the change in local authority boundaries. The City of York became a unitary authority in 1996.

Rolling Stock

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of kilometres travelled by an average rail carriage in each year since 1995.

Paul Clark: Information on the number of kilometres travelled by an average rail carriage is not held by the Department for Transport. Statistics on the number of kilometres travelled by rail are published by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in the National Rail Trends Yearbook, which is available in the House Library, or from the ORR website:
	www.rail-reg.gov.uk.

Rolling Stock: Greater Manchester

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether relevant passenger transport executives will be involved in decisions regarding the redeployment of railway rolling stock released through Greater Manchester's spending on the Rochdale and Oldham Metrolink extension; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: In accordance with the Northern Rail franchise agreement, consultations regarding the future redeployment of this rolling stock will be held with the relevant passenger transport executives (PTEs).
	The following PTEs are co-signatories to the Northern franchise agreement:
	West Yorkshire PTE
	South Yorkshire PTE
	Greater Manchester PTE
	Tyne and Wear PTE
	Merseytravel PTE.

Trains

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the safety of  (a) the type of trains chosen to replace high speed trains and  (b) Pendolino trains.

Paul Clark: Under the Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2006 any new train to be operated on Great Britain's network must be authorised by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). The authorisation involves confirmation that essential requirements, including safety, have been met.
	Pendolino trains were subject to earlier interoperability regulations and authorised to be placed into service by the Office of Rail Regulation. The design chosen to replace high speed trains will also be subject to interoperability regulations.

Trains: Safety Measures

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the weight of trains in relation to safety loads.

Paul Clark: All trains are designed to meet appropriate safety standards. The reduced weight of the new Super Express trains is being achieved through careful design and lightweight materials and will in no way compromise safety.
	The Department for Transport intentionally set challenging targets to reverse the trend of increasing train weight and so deliver significant energy and performance benefits as well as reducing track damage.

TransPennine Express: Franchises

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of First TransPennine Express's performance in operating their franchise.

Paul Clark: First TransPennine Express has been a successful franchise to date, delivering all obligations contained within its franchise agreement that commenced on 1 February 2004. This includes:
	management of the build and delivery into service of a fleet of 51 new diesel trains, together with construction and implementation of dedicated maintenance facilities including new depots in Manchester and York.
	Completion of a 12.2 million expenditure plan delivering improvements and enhancement to the 30 stations for which they are responsible.
	Improvements in train operating performance year on year, meeting public performance measure targets.
	Introduction of additional routes and services, between Manchester airport and Blackpool and Scottish destinations.

Transport: Planning

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effects of planning delays on major transport infrastructure projects since 1997.

Paul Clark: The White Paper 'Planning for a Sustainable Future' published in May 2007, which took account of Sir Rod Eddington's advice to Government on the links between transport and the economy, set out the Government's assessment that the then planning system for nationally significant transport (and other) infrastructure was too slow and complicated. The impact assessment for the Planning Bill, now the Planning Act 2008, estimated net benefits worth some 23 million per annum for the aviation sector alone from the reformed system provided for by the Act.

Vehicle and Operator Services Agency

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide a breakdown of the figures in table A1.36 of the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency's Effectiveness Report 2007-08 to show how many drivers were  (a) employed and  (b) self-employed.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Vehicle and Operators Services Agency does not record encounters in such a way that would allow identification of how many drivers were employed or self-employed.